John Messer Barn
A historic structure within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Plan Around John Messer Barn
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John Messer Barn Details
The John Messer Barn is a historic structure within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Porters Creek Trail in the Greenbrier valley, it was constructed in 1875 by Pinkney Whaley. The Whaleys later sold their farm to John H. Messer, who was married to Pinkney's cousin, Lucy. In the 1930s, the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club, which constructed the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club Cabin nearby, leased the barn from the National Park Service. The barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and is the last surviving structure from the pre-park Greenbrier Cove community. This barn should not be confused with the Messer Barn in Cataloochee, which was built by John's cousin, Will Messer. The Messer Barn is a type of double-cantilever barn unique to East Tennessee, and rarely found outside Sevier, Blount, and Cocke counties. The barn is one story with a hayloft, and measures 25 feet (7.6 m) by 45 feet (14 m). The gabled roof, as with all double-cantilevers, has considerable overhang, allowing livestock shelter in inclement weather. Unlike the reconstructed double-cantilever barn at the Tipton Place in Cades Cove, the Messer Barn's overhang is supported by poles along the outer edge. The barn's foundation is dry field stone, and is higher on one end to compensate for the hillslope. The barn interior consists of two pens, each divided into two stalls, with a "drive-through" in the middle. While the barn walls are built of wooden boards, the pens are built of hewn logs. The barn's hayloft consists of poles set on two-foot centers.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
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Nearby Parks Around John Messer Barn
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Nearby Points of Interest Around John Messer Barn
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0.9 mi away
Porters Creek Trail
A seldom-traveled trail which travels through lush, shady forests.
1.6 mi away
Greenbrier
Now a recreational area, Greenbrier was once home to a string of Appalachian communities.
1.9 mi away
Greenbrier Picnic Area
12 sites, pavilion available, open year-round
3.0 mi away
Grotto Falls
These 25-foot falls create a unique opportunity to stand behind a waterfall!
