The Barton District has a rich and interesting history and played a major roll in Dexter's early development. In 1802 the site of the barn pictured above, which still stands, was the early settlement homestead of Seba French and his family. The story goes that after Mr. Barton purchased this property he decided to build the biggest barn in Dexter. At that time Charles Shaw had the largest one, located where Hamp Crouse farmed for many years on the Ripley Road. Barton's barn was reportedly bigger than Shaw's barn (which burned in 1963) by a few feet.

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