“This country began as an agrarian nation. We can learn so much from the history of barns and agricultural buildings – in short the history of agriculture,” said Bill Hart, president of the Missouri Barn Alliance and Rural Network. However, in recent decades, many barns (that were once a prime resource for the family farm) have become almost obsolete and thus run-down and completely subject to the elements with no repairs or improvements made.
Currently, many states have initiatives to restore historic barns. In Missouri, Bill Hart and the Missouri Barn Alliance and Rural Network have this mission: “To promote the identification, documentation, protection and preservation of the rural heritage of Missouri, including barns and other farm buildings and farm sites.”
The current focus of the Missouri Barn Alliance is documenting all of the historic barns in the state. According to the most recent US Census, over 35,000 Missourians stated that they had a barn on their property that was at least 50 years old. Hart noted, “This represents the second largest number of historic barns (second only to Texas) by state in the country.”
Brenda Spencer, who owns a building preservation business in Wamego, Kan., conducted a survey of historic barns across Kansas in 2008 and prepared property nominations for the Historic Agriculture-Related Resources in Kansas for the National Registry of Historic Places. Her goal has been to make it easier for barn owners to list their properties on the national and/or the Kansas Registry of Historic Places.
“One motivation for barn owners to pursue the national registry listing is because they could get a federal and state historic tax credit to help pay for the preservation and maintenance of historic structures. The Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit is 20 percent; the Kansas Rehabilitation Tax Credit is 25 percent,” said Spencer.
Spencer noted that barn owners should contact the Kansas State Historical Society if they are interested in listing their barn on the national registry and for information on the rehabilitation tax credits.
She also indicated that, “Kansas, too, has a Barn Alliance which organizes barn owners and provides technical information on barn preservation,” for those interested in preserving their barns.
When it comes to actually preserving a barn, Hart said, “There are some obvious first steps – a good roof being the best protection long term from the elements.”
He encourages barn owners to join the Missouri Barn Alliance.
“They can join by going to our web site: www.missouribarn.org and downloading the membership application,” Hart suggested.
The Alliance is trying to identify funding sources to help barn owners preserve their own barns. They are also looking at new ways barns can be used such as a residence or business and they would like to have corporate sponsors to help fund the projects.
Hart concluded, “Old barns are often community landmarks and make the past present. Such buildings embody ethnic traditions and local customs; they reflect changing farming practices and advances in building technology. In the imagination they represent a whole way of life.”
