March 28, 2024

Local barns feaured in All State Barn Tour

The 2014 All State Barn Tour will be held Sept. 27 and 28.

Historic restored barns throughout Iowa will be opened to the public during the Iowa Barn Foundation’s free, two-day, self-guided, all-state barn tour Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

The All-State Barn Tour features restored barns that have received Iowa Barn Foundation matching grants, along with barns whose owners have restored their barns using their own money and received an Award of Distinction.

The 2001 All-State Barn Tour was the first of it’s kind in the United States.

The All-State Barn Tour has been organized to encourage barn preservation in Iowa, teach young people about Iowa’s rich agricultural heritage and renew pride in this heritage. The tour is arranged so that you can go from barn to barn on your own, as time and distances permit.

Barns, America’s symbols of honesty, integrity, and the American dream, are disappearing from Iowa’s countryside at a rapid rate. With mechanized agriculture of today, barns are no longer the center of the farm. But, they remain poignant reminders of our agricultural heritage.

For a complete list of Iowa Barns open for the fall tour please visit:  http://www.iowabarnfoundation.org/tours/2014 all-state.htm

Local barns

Oswald barn, 1071 Harken Hills Drive, Osceola (Clarke County): Take Highway 34 through Osceola; go another half mile to Harken Hills Drive on the south side of the road. Beef barn was designed in the 1930s and can be converted into a show pavilion to seat over 700. Purebred Angus were developed there by Dr. C.R. Harken, Osceola physician. Farm was operated with view of helping small producer market his animals. J.C. Penney often visited the farm.

Beeler barn, 2569 140th Street, Van Meter (Madison County): From DeSoto, go south on Highway 169. Turn east on 130th Street to stop sign. Then go south on Prairie View Avenue and finally east on 140th Street. Barn is in what was a strong German settlement. Barn was built by the Burger brothers including one who became the first county agent in Iowa.

McBroom-Hargis barn, 1218 Highway 169, Winterset (Madison County): Barn is five miles south of I-80 (Adel, De Soto, Winterset exit). Article in Madison County paper (1884) discussed this barn, “It would be the largest barn in this part of the county.” It has a wooden track, post and beam, pegs and was designed by I.F. Carter of De Soto.

Founded in 1997, the Iowa Barn Foundation, an all-volunteer, all-state organization, is dedicated to preserving Iowa’s rural agricultural buildings.  The Iowa Barn Foundation is an Iowa non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status under paragraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

The primary mission of the Iowa Barn Foundation is to educate the public about the significance and importance of Iowa’s barns through the Iowa Barn Foundation Magazine and barn tours.  It raises money to provide barn rehabilitation or restoration matching grants to help property owners restore their barns.

In addition, property owners who use their own funds to restore or rehabilitate barns that would otherwise qualify for a matching grant are eligible to receive an Iowa Barn Foundation Award of Distinction. Take a look at some of the restored barns that have been featured on the 2001-2013 IBF Barn Tours.

The Iowa Barn Foundation, in keeping with its mission to preserve Iowa’s agricultural heritage, accepts economically and financially self-sustaining farms and farmland.

Through the foundation’s farm conservancy, these farms and farmland are saved in perpetuity for agricultural purposes according to the owner’s wishes.

All of the funds to rehabilitate and restore Iowa's barns come solely from private donations. Make a donation or become a member of the Iowa Barn Foundation today.
Looking for the perfect holiday cards or gifts?  Check out the Iowa Barn Foundation Store.