Prairie Legacy: The Thomas Family,Their Farm and Stone Barn

The Thomas family was bound to their family heritage and tradition with bonds of love and chains of responsibility and ambition. Some members of the family broke the bonds and chains and left rural Wisconsin, while others remained-for four generations. Their cathedral-like 100 x 40 foot stone barn kept them bound to the prairie and a way of life that has now all but disappeared. The stone barn stands today as a prairie legacy, reminding passers-by of a different way of life. The author brings the family to life by imaginatively connecting dramatic events--two cabin fires, a tornado, the arrival of the Chicago and North Western Railroad, and the building of their stone barn. There is quiet heroism in this remarkable family as they face heart wrenching disasters and personal tragedy involving everything from death and blindness to the possibility of losing their beloved farm to developers.