Handyman’s Prairie Haven 

West Guthrie is now home to the largest free-standing round building in the United States. The rotunda-style structure was built by Jay Branson over an eight-year period. It was initially a workshop for Jay, but the hand-crafted building was too unique and elaborate to remain private. In October, the Bransons unveiled Prairie Haven as a one-of-a-kind venue for weddings and events for up to 500 people! 

Jay’s inspiration for the building dates back to the 1980s when he visited Washington D.C. as a young man. “While touring the Capital and other rotundas, I was amazed by their grandeur,” said Jay. “I never in my heart thought I’d have the opportunity to build one.” 

Thirty-some years later, the opportunity arrived following a family tragedy. “My first wife passed away,” said Jay. “Our three daughters still lived at home. They turned the house into a shrine, if you will, with lots of photos sitting around. The best way for me to handle it was to stay busy outside,” Jay said. 

Jay decided his motor home needed a shed. He wanted to put the motor home in the center of a building and add 15 ft. all around for a workshop, and then, his long-ago interest in round buildings reemerged. Surprisingly, Jay did not follow an architectural plan. Instead, he relied on knowledge from his construction career, designing it as he went along. The Styrofoam and concrete walls were just 4 ft. tall when he met and married his new wife, Valarie. “And she didn’t take off running when she saw my round building project. She was a trooper and joined in,” Jay said. 

From Sketch to Dome 

After Jay and Valarie constructed and plastered the 20 ft. high walls, Jay sat down at the kitchen table with a pad of paper and sketched out a segment of the dome—and then he proceeded to build it. The dome’s precise, wooden honeycomb-shaped pieces, which he calls “diamonds,” are made of 15,400 pieces of rot-resistant hardwood, including poplar, sassafras, and cherry wood. 

“I chose poplar for the dome’s frame because it keeps its shape,” Jay said. “Indiana has the largest poplar forest, so I connected with a friend, who put me in touch with the Amish community. I communicated my lumber order by writing letters. The Amish cut down the trees, sawed them up, and shipped them.” 

Building the dome and tower on a low budget required creative engineering. Jay and Valarie used a one-man lift and a variety of remote-controlled winches for installing the ceiling. Jay became adept at rappelling and even rigged up a lounge chair from the rafter so he could take short naps. Although the Bransons had a few scares along the way, nothing compared to the two bouts of cancer that he faced. 

“Sometimes I could only work a little at a time, but the dome was a blessing in disguise. It saved my life and gave me a purpose for getting up, not giving up,” Jay said. 

Now that the building is officially ready to receive guests, Jay looks back on his journey with pride. “It took years of time and effort, but now I get to enjoy it every day,” Jay said. “You can’t believe the look of joy on people’s faces when they see it. What I developed can’t be seen anywhere else. I hope it brings other people joy for many years to come.” 

Visit prairiehavenevents.com to learn more.