"Barn Quilts" are springing up in Winneshiek County

One barn quilt off Highway 52 south of Decorah

Thanks to the work of a volunteer group, there is something a little bit extra on 15 barns in Winneshiek County.  "Barn Quilts" are eight-foot square colorful wooden signs displayed on the side of local barns.

Project organizer Elizabeth Lorentzen says the "barn quilt" idea started in Ohio and now has become popular in various counties across Iowa in recent years.

The "quilts" are constructed and painted with volunteer labor.  The barn owners are asked only to pay the cost of materials if their barn is on one of the barn quilt routes in Winneshiek County.  Otherwise people not on the barn quilt route pay for both labor and materials.  Barn owners are able to choose their block from a group of quilt patterns.  Visitors will view the barn quilts from the road--they will NOT drive up to the barns.

The group, which is under the guidance of Decorah Regional Arts Council, is creating five "theme loops."  The self-guided tours highlight some particular facet of Winneshiek County.  "It's a way to showcase our heritage," says Lorentzen.

The routes are mostly on hard-surfaced roads.  Priority is given to barns that can be viewed from both directions, barns that are closer to the road and barns that can be seen well from the road.

The Decorah to Burr Oak route is tied into a Laura Ingalls Wilder theme, with quilt blocks being those mentioned in her books and those that would detail experiences from her stories.  The Burr Oak to Hesper route features Quaker quilt blocks and Underground Railroad quilt blocks.  The Burr Oak to Bluffton to Kendallville route uses Irish themes for early settlers, "Pine Trees" for the Bluffton fir stand, "Crossed Canoes" for the Upper Iowa canoe routes.  The Decorah to Calmar to Fort Atkinson route features railroad themes, Native American themes, Civil War era quilt blocks; and the Ossian to Castalia to Frankville route uses railroad themes, German and Irish themes, Military Trail themes, log cabin for Ossian park, community quilt themes.

Local volunteers have learned from a similar quilt block project in Fayette County.  Lorentzen says Fayette County's barn quilt project has been so successful that there are now 60 barn quilts on display in that county.  She hopes the Fayette and Winneshiek County projects will increase area tourism.

A map and brochure is being developed with explanations of the quilt blocks.

For more information on the barn quilts project, contact Lorentzen at (563) 382-5170.

"Bear Paw" is on Doug and Rosi Blegen's barn on Highway 52 north of Decorah

A "Drunkard's Pass" barn quilt just east of Calmar

This barn quilt is on a barn owned by Kevin & Sharon Gerleman NW of Ridgeway

Volunteer Stacey Gossling paints a barn quilt