Around 1981, this barn atop a small knoll about a mile south of Broomhill in the Rural Municipality of Albert was featured in a Manitoba Co-operator series on rural buildings. It is believed to be the only surviving barn in Manitoba with double silos. Built in 1924 by Albert and Ephraim Iver of Chicago, the 128 by 36-foot barn was equipped with the latest farm conveniences. But the Iver brothers could not make a go of it and returned to the United States. The farm changed hands several times before being purchased by the Gervin family in 1968.
As of late 2014, the building remains in good repair and is used by members of the Gervin family for their livestock. Its walls were straightened in the mid-1980s after being deflected some 10 inches by strong winds, and the structure is now held plumb by interior steel cables. Original cedar shakes on the roof were replaced in 2004 or 2005. The owners later covered the lapboard siding with corrugated metal.
Iver Barn / Gervin Barn (circa 1981)
Source: Bob Hainstock
Iver Barn / Gervin Barn (July 2018)
Source: George Penner
Iver Barn / Gervin Barn (September 2021)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.38203, W101.07454
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Co-operator Rural Buildings Series
We thank Curtis Gervin, Lynn Jones, George Penner, and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Bob Hainstock, Ed Ledohowski, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 12 October 2021
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