Historic Barn Tour dates announced

Lea-Oakley Barn

The Iowa Barn Foundation has announced its list of historic restored barns in Northeast Iowa that will be opened to the public during the Iowa Barn Foundation's free, two-day, self-guided, all-state barn tour Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23 from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
 
Six Winneshiek County barns will be featured on the tour:
 
--The Lea-Oakley Barn at 2279 County Road W 42, in Decorah. Will be featured.  This native limestone Norwegian barn was built by John Johnson in 1862.  Original materials are intact.  Barn has a gambrel roof with wooden shingles that was probably added at a later date.  Original roof would have been a gable roof.
 
--The Boeding stone milk house at 2390 Madison Road in Decorah (Winneshiek County). From intersection of Highways 9 and 52 southwest of Decorah, go north on Highway 52 for 0.8 miles to Madison Road. Turn left and go 2.2 miles to 2390 Madison Road. (Award of Distinction).
 
--The Gribble barn at  3109 155th Street in Ft. Atkinson.  From New Hampton, take Highway 24 east for 19 miles to 295th Avenue. Take a left and drive 2.5 miles to 155th Street. Turn left and go 1.5 miles.  Czech barn on lovely farm has always been in family.  This barn was featured in a New York Times article on June 1, 2012.
 
--Palmer barn at  1206 150th Street in Castalia.  From Decorah intersection of Highways 9 and 52, go east on Highway 9 for 5.8 miles to Centennial Road. Turn right on Centennial and go 8.4 miles (Centennial becomes W 46). Turn left on 150th Street. Go 1.7 miles to Palmer barn.  Rock is from nearby quarry using teams and wagons.  Framing of barn was oak harvested from own woodlands.  Portable sawmill was brought to saw logs.  Some 200-300 men came for a one day barn raising; each man given a new hammer.

 --Hinzenbrock barn at  1477 Norske Road in Decorah.  From Decorah, take Highway 9 six miles east to the second entrance to Oilville Road. Turn left and go one-half mile to the first gravel road, Norske Road. Turn right and go one-half mile to farm.  Pegged barn (36x70) was built into a hill in 1878 by Peder Bakke, an original Norwegian settler in the county.  Barn retains original wooden hay drop for loose hay and has unusual double support rafters.  There are hand-hewn timbers, and pegs are in the same condition as when they were made.
 
--Hotvedt barn,  1996 County Road A 14, west of Hesper on the state line.   John McMullens bought farm from government in 1852 for $1.25 and acre.  Nearby, Mable Minnesota's steam engine days started on the farm.

For a complete listing of barns on the tour, visit

http://www.iowabarnfoundation.org