If you don’t know what a barn quilt is, you may have wondered what those interesting pieces of artwork adorning many barns and buildings are. Even if you are familiar with barn quilts, you may not know the story behind them.
The groundwork for the Barn Quilt Trail in Stevens County was laid in 2017, and officially launched in 2019, by Stevens County resident Ward Voorhees. Since then, it has continued to expand and evolve. Not only has the number of barn quilts grown, but so has the diversity seen in the locations, placement, and designs of the quilts. At one time, most barn quilts were painted to mimic the look and pattern of a traditional cloth quilt, but now, many barn quilts feature more intricate or unique patterns.
Barn quilts have been around for many years, adorning barns and even serving to dress up buildings that, otherwise, were not ornate or exciting. Many years ago, barn quilts have even served as identifiers on barns as to which family owned the barn, or even to serve as landmarks for directions. Voorhees said that eventually a group of artists in Ohio formally organized barn quilts into a trail with maps showing their location to make it easier for those looking to see them all, and now, organized barn quilt trails can be found all over the country.
Many barn quilts come with a story of their own relating to the circumstances of it being made or with significance to its owners. Recently, Voorhees self-published a book, “Stevens County Barn Quilts (and the people who live here)”, detailing all of the current barn quilt locations in Stevens County. Each barn quilt in the county is featured with a photograph, and background information on the barn quilt itself and its owner.
“The barn quilts that I have at my rural residence were all chosen with a design that represents something about my life,” Voorhees said. “As the Barn Quilt Trail grew, I realized many of the barn quilts had stories behind them that people could not be aware of simply by viewing the barn quilt. So I thought it would be fun and informative to publish a book about these barn quilts and the stories they tell. Last spring, I made a commitment to do just that, and the rest is history.”
The book will make a great travel companion for trips to see the barn quilts, not only to help locate each quilt but to tell a little bit of that quilt’s story.
The book will be available to order exclusively at the Stevens County Historical Society and Museum beginning during the Holiday Stroll on December 7. All profits from purchases of the book will go directly to the Stevens County Historical Society. In January, Voorhees will give a presentation at the museum about barn quilts and the book, at a date still to be determined.
Currently, Stevens County has 115 barn quilts, which can be found on houses, businesses, camping spots at Pomme de Terre Campground, and even with the old school house located at the Stevens County Fairgrounds. Finding all of the barn quilts is an activity that can be enjoyed by one person, or many, as you drive, bike, or walk to see them all, and now, a book showcasing the barn quilts of Stevens County could be a nice companion to join in your ventures.
