Episode 52: A Short History of House Barns with Roland Sawatsky

Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives Episode 52

Clear shot of people in Ford Model T in front of a housebarn. Can see gingerbread on veranda. (MHA - MHC 526-26-1.0)
This is a photo of a Mennonite housebarn, made largely of wood with a bush in front. There is a television aerial on the roof. (MHA - MHC 053-34.0)
Very clear shot of housebarn in Neubergthal (192?). (MHA - MHC 526-56-16.0)

After a few consecutive episodes that leaned into some darker stories in Mennonite history, we’re pleased to bring you something on the lighter side.

To air on Sunday, Nov. 30 we bring you… (drumroll )… A Short History of House Barns! Join me and Roland Sawatsky, curator at the Manitoba Museum and past curator at the Mennonite Village Museum in Steinbach, as we reveal that a house barn is (!SPOILER ALERT!) “a barn connected to a house,” how far back we can trace the history of these structures, what a GANK is — and oh, so much more. While we might take these buildings for granted, I was surprised at what we can learn about how people have interacted with and constructed these homes for people and animals.

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Podcast Series: Tales from the Mennonite Heritage Archives
Episode 52: A Short History of House Barns with Roland Sawatsky?
Date: November 30, 2025
Host: Dan Dyck
Published by The Mennonite Heritage Archives

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