| Once prominent landmarks that dotted rural America, | | | | to the masses in rural areas. People starting living in |
| barns are vanishing at an alarming rate. Known as one | | | | barns in the 1960's, adaptive reuse saved many barns |
| of the earliest forms of architecture in colonial times | | | | from decay. In the 1970's barn wood was a |
| through the industrial revolution, these icons | | | | decorating rage and many barns were destroyed |
| represent and record our agrarian roots. As time | | | | after their weathered siding was removed for |
| marches on and the natural materials that barns are | | | | suburban family rooms. Hand-hewn beams were cut |
| constructed of decay, each year we loose an | | | | up for fireplaces and wood stoves.Each summer as I |
| important part of our collective past.Large corporate | | | | drive through familiar farming areas, more barns are |
| farms dominate American agriculture today. These | | | | gone. The landscape is different and lonely without |
| mega-farms spawn large metal and fiberglass buildings | | | | them. They were a barometer of prosperity, you |
| that might be called barns, but are far removed from | | | | could tell the economic viability of a farm and a |
| real barns. Real barns came in many sizes, types and | | | | region by how well the barns were kept. Without the |
| styles. There were livestock, machinery, milking and | | | | icons I now get lost, no more red barn to remind me |
| hay barns. Round, octagonal and rectangular barns. | | | | to turn left. The yellow windows of milking parlors |
| Log, colonial and prairie style barns. Big and small, red, | | | | replaced with vast pole buildings with fiberglass |
| white colored, cedar shingled and metal roofed. There | | | | skylights. We need to save the vanishing barns. The |
| was a barn for every need and occasion. Most | | | | National Trust and Successful Farming Magazine have |
| featured large rolling doors, single-paned windows and | | | | a program called Barn Again! that is helping to save |
| multiple levels. Nooks and crannies were homes to | | | | these important architectural icons.Mark Nash's fourth |
| barn owls, oiling cans and farm tools.Barns were | | | | real estate book, "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a |
| everywhere in the rural landscape and used as | | | | Home" (2005), and working as a real estate broker in |
| landmarks for strangers to get around the | | | | Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric |
| countryside. "Take a left at the red barn" was | | | | real estate perspective which has been featured on |
| common in prairie and ranching driving directions. | | | | ABC-TV, Associated Press,CBS The Early Show, |
| Barns became billboards in the early 1900's advertising | | | | Bloomberg TV, Bottom Line Magazine. |