The barn was built in 1882 by Alexander S. Walbridge. An industrial engineer and a farmer,A.S. Walbridge designed and built his amazing 12-sided barn according to practical principles which were considered revolutionary at the time.

The (polygonal) barn was erected 24 metres (80 feet)in diameter, with twelve sides, each side being 20 feet (6.5m) high. Resting on a masonry foundation, the structure rose up two stories; the ground floor served as stables and the first floor mainly as a hayloft.

A.S. Walbridge installed a suspended swivelling bridge attached to the roof, which made it possible for a cart full of hay to fully enter the barn while the bridge-floor turned, it was possible to position the back of the cart very close to whichever one of the hay mows was intended to be filled with hay.

The Barn is now the only remaining part of the Walbridge Estate which included a large manor equipped with a greenhouse, a man-made lake and a small water powered power station.

In 1974, the Walbridge descendants constituted a corporation: "Walbridge Conservation Area Limited". It was created to manage the legacy of the Walbridge family.

In June 2004, the Walbridge Barn was classified as an historic building by the Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine.

Taking advantage of the Walbridge Conservation Foundation's invitation and of the Quebec Government's programme to help museums renew their permanent exhibitions, the Missisquoi Historical Society decided to move their agricultural collection to the Walbridge Barn, which would then be known as Missisquoi Museum - Walbridge Barn site.

In 2008, Bedford native William Corey and his team were hired to take on the tremendous task of renovating of the Barn to house the agricultural collection of the Missisquoi Museum. A feat which took almost two years!

THE ANTICIPATED WAIT IS ALMOST OVER !
WE'RE NOW READY !

With the renovations complete, the Missisquoi Historical Society moved its invaluable agriculture collection to the Walbridge Barn in Mystic.

Not only will our collection benefit from its new home, but the new installation will allow us to narrate Missisquoi County's agricultural history.

We are extremely proud this year, that the Missisquoi Historical Society - Walbridge Barn Site has been chosen by the CLD (Centre Locale de développement)as the site for the official launch of the 2010 Tourist Season, which will be held on Monday, May 17, 2010 from 5 to 7 p.m.