Acadian Archives

This structure in Frenchville is one of only a few twin barns that are still standing in 2023. It is an unusual example because it has two additions; these additions with their wide doorways suggest that one primary use for this barn has been equipment storage.

As an architectural design, the twin barn is unique to the Maine side of the St. John River. This is "a large structure consisting of two parallel sections joining to form an 'H'" when seen from above, and "never connected to outbuildings or the house." According to Victor Konrad and Michael Chaney, these barns are "a symbol of French Canadian culture, adopted during the period between the 1880s and 1930s when French Valley residents were eager to assert their Franco-American identity." The architectural style "presents an alternative to the New England connecting barn which prevails in the rest of agricultural Aroostook County."