Tillson Farm Horse Barn

Constructed: 1941

Architects: Unknown

The Horse Barn and Tack Room are located on a flat site to the south of Tillson Farm Road. Access to the building is provided by an unpaved vehicular drive that curves southeast from Tillson Farm Road. The building is surrounded by mown lawn with deciduous trees. Scrub vegetation is growing near the building. A wood fence bordered by deciduous trees is located to the north of the building on the opposite side of the access drive. An open area with topsoil and compost piles is located to the south of the building.

The Horse Barn and Tack Room is a 1½-story barn with a one-story shed roof ell and an adjacent freestanding shed on its east side. The barn has a rectangular footprint, an asphalt shingle roof and vertical board siding. Its foundation is covered by undergrowth. The building has three wide sliding doors in its north elevation, and this side of the ell has no windows or doors.

The first story of the building’s east elevation is hidden by the freestanding shed, which is only a few feet from the barn ell’s east wall. The south end of the ell is open, and a first story window can be seen in the east elevation of the barn, within this covered space. The east elevation’s gable peak contains a central square window.

The building’s south elevation is screened by invasive vegetation, but several small windows are visible through gaps in the vegetation.

The building’s west elevation contains a large double-leaf loft door in the gable peak. The first story contains two evenly spaced 3/2 fixed or awning windows.

The Horse Barn and Tack Room are located on a flat site to the south of Tillson Farm Road. Access to the building is provided by an unpaved vehicular drive that curves southeast from Tillson Farm Road. The building is surrounded by mown lawn with deciduous trees. Scrub vegetation is growing near the building. A wood fence bordered by deciduous trees is located to the north of the building on the opposite side of the access drive. An open area with topsoil and compost piles is located to the south of the building.

This structure was part of the University’s riding program before that program was transferred to the Hadley Farm equestrian facilities in about 1990. The riding program on Tillson Farm Road was extensive, and one of the largest programs at the Agricultural School, including a collegiate horse program, equine research and veterinarian research, and a nationally-known llama program. Facilities along Tillson Farm Road included the first indoor riding area at the University.

The Horse Barn and Tack Room represents physical evidence of an era in the University’s long-standing connection with equine programs and research. Over time, these programs were relocated at ever-further distances from the core of the historic campus, including moves from Munson Annex, to Thayer Isolation, then to Tillson Farm, followed by Deerfield Farm and ultimately to Hadley Farm.

The Horse Barn and Tack Room (1941) is located outside the core of the campus and is not shown on historic campus maps or plans. A single historic photograph of the building shows the building set in an area of exposed soil with horses. No planting is shown near the building. At present, the Horse Barn and Tack Room retains its vernacular landscape, with unpaved circulation routes and little vegetation.

• From the Massachusetts Historical Commission, UMass Amherst Building Survey reports (2009).