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Wisconsin could be the round-barn capital of the world. Hundreds of them were built here between 1910 and 1930 because they made eminent sense for the small dairy farmer. No flat walls to catch the wind, but then again there weren't any lee spots on the outside for the livestock to gather out of the wind, either.

Round barns in the New England states remind many there of the beloved covered bridges, and even though the barns are headed for oblivion, they remind people of a special time in America when the structures accommodated a special need.

And now, Bob and Kathy Frydenlund of New Richmond, Wis., have compiled a 66-page book, "How to Build & Love Your Own Round Barn.''

The Frydenlund's moved from St. Paul, Minnesota 7 years ago, they found the 40-acre farm 22 miles from Hudson, and it was the round barn on the property that convinced them they'd found their new home.

"We absolutely fell in love with this place,'' says Bob, who grew up in a small town in North Dakota. "One of the first things we had to do was shovel 20 tons of pig manure out of the barn.''

The lower level of the barn eventually became home to Kathy and Bob's growing herd of llamas, and they have plans to eventually re-roof the barn, which can be extremely expensive.

Proceeds from the sale of their book will help with that, and they have gathered historical data, particularly from the University of Illinois, which illustrates what shrewd thinking went into the development of the circular barn.

First of all, the round barn required the minimum number of steps for the farmer to perform his daily tasks. Instead of walking down long rows of animals, he moved from one to the next around in a tight circle.

Then there was the feed itself, which filled a central silo. It required less movement to get to each animal, and because it was in the center of the barn, it did not freeze as easily as the feed in an outside silo in winter.

There were other documented advantages of the round barn, among them greater lineal strength of lumber used in circular construction. In fact, many of the framing members of round barns that are almost 100 years old do not show the fatigue and sag common in rectangular barn construction.

There is a definite cathedral-like majesty to the upward, symmetrical sweep of the roof rafters in a circular barn. Promoters of the round barn also said they were cheaper to build than rectangular barns because of the need for less wood. There were other documented advantages of the round barn, among them greater lineal strength of lumber used in circular construction. In fact, many of the framing members of round barns that are almost 100 years old do not show the fatigue and sag common in rectangular barn construction.

Round barns were finally done in, not only by the Depression of 1929 but also by the ultimate invention and popularity of the motorized tractor. The round barn was a horse-and-buggy building, and the new Fords, John Deeres and Massy Fergusons were rectangularly performing vehicles.

Woodworker, Eric North, says: "The roof is not overbuilt and it is somewhat springy. But there is inherent strength in the circular design. This is a remarkably durable building.''

I later found myself in the company of two rural gentlemen in a little saloon in Vernon County in the hills of Wisconsin recently. They were silently chewing away at their Leinenkugel's (chewing tobacco) until I spoke up. "Barns,'' I said. "Anyone know where there are any round barns around here?''

The bearded fellow on my left lit up like a holiday tree. He was the mayor of nearby Mount Tabor, and he personally knows where 17 round barns are. The younger guy on my right said he has a round barn, but it needs some work, some serious roofing work. "I can't even get the Amish to go up there, though. That's a long way up.''

This is Amish country down here in the slopes, gullies and ridges of Wisconsin to the east of La Crosse. You'll find Yuba down here, and that's the smallest town in Wisconsin. You'll find Avalanche down here on the banks of the Kickapoo River, and it was so named because of an avalanche that buried the town creamery and one cat. And the Amish still get together down here, hundreds strong, to build huge rectangular timber-frame barns. The lush Wisconsin farmland is studded with huge, sturdy Amish barns and, if you look closely, the round barns here and there, even though no one builds them anymore.

Columnist Don Boxmeyer can be reached at dboxmeyer@pioneer press.com or (651) 228-5568.

American farmers traditionally keep their animals and equipment in barns that are rectangular, longer than they are wide. But as many as one thousand barns in the Midwest and other parts of the country are round.

Round barns have a long history in America. George Washington, the nation's first president, had a round barn in the seventeen hundreds. The Shaker religious community at Hancock, Massachusetts, built one in the eighteen twenties.

But the idea did not become popular until years later. Then, in the early nineteen hundreds, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign built three round barns that a lot of farmers copied.

A farmer could save on wood or stone with a round building that needed less material than traditional barns. Experts also believed that farmers could save steps, and time, in feeding their animals in a round barn. And round barns stood a better chance against strong winds.

Some round barns are not truly circular. They just look that way but really are many flat sides put together.

Early versions were mainly designed with two levels. Cows were kept on the first level and the one above was used to store hay to feed them. Later designs brought a large area in the middle for the hay and places all around it for the cows.

By the nineteen thirties, however, fewer American farmers were building round barns. Some people said it took more time and skill. Others disagreed. In any case, it was not a good time to argue -- it was the Great Depression, and times were difficult.

Also, as electric power came to rural America, there was a school of thought that rectangular barns were easier to wire for electricity. Agricultural experts also reconsidered their ideas about a round barn saving time in feeding animals.

Kathy and Bob Frydenlund can tell you all about round barns. The Frydenlunds have a library of architectural plans and drawings and have published books on the subject. Their most recent is called "How to Build and Love Your Round Barn."

Money from their book sales helps them take care of their own barn -- a big, ninety-year-old structure made of concrete and wood. The Frydenlunds own the Round Barn Llama Farm in New Richmond, Wisconsin. Bob Frydenlund says having a round barn means keeping alive part of the history of American farming.