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Quilt Barn Trail Coming To Lawrence County

Last updated on Monday, December 21, 2015

(BEDFORD) - One of the Lawrence County Bicentennial projects is to develop a quilt barn trail in the county. Two bicentennial committee members are chairing this project to celebrate the County’s local heritage with quilt designs and if you have one - a heritage barn.

With Lawrence County's rich agricultural roots, highlighting historic barns with colorful quilt patterns painted on wood squares is a way to highlight our barns and pioneer heritage.
 
"Once several barns have quilt squares up," explains Barbara Kissel, "we'll develop a brochure and map for people to travel our roads to enjoy the quilt square trail. " Kissel, along with Teena Ligman are coordinating the effort to develop a quilt barn trail to bring in tourism and add to the quality of life for our residents. Kissel adds, "It will be such a fun project for the bicentennial. We're looking forward to seeing colorful quilt squares appearing on barns, sheds, and businesses across the county."
 
Kissel said the 4 foot square wooden quilt squares would make excellent Christmas presents for someone who has a barn and might want to participate. She also suggested, while families are together at Christmas, painting a quilt square together could be a memorable activity. She said her family painted a square together and she treasures the memory of the day they worked on the square together which now graces their barn. If anyone is interested in making their own square, Kissel will recommend materials and paint for the project.
 
The legacy of the Quilt Barn Trail Project will last long after the celebrations are over. Barn squares can be made as a family project, or painted professionally. The hope is that no two quilt designs will be alike and that across the county, a vast assortment of brightly-colored quilt squares will be represented.  Kissel and Ligman have developed a packet of approximately 150 quilt squares to choose from or people can design their own.
 
Professionally made squares will cost $125 from local artisans. The squares can be put on any structure, pole barns, sheds, office buildings, or... as was first envisioned, a historic barn.
 
Kissel and Ligman also have information on how to save historic barns. Ligman hopes the project will inspire barn owners to stabilize or restore their barns.

"In Indiana, around 20,000 wood barns still stand. But we've lost 10,000 in the last decade. In 1900 there were 200,000 barns across Indiana. We are losing our historic barns at an alarming rate," said Ligman. 

It is their goal that in promoting the trail, they can also help save some of the County's remaining barns. 
 
For more information or to register to be part of the Quilt Barn Trail Project contact Barbara Kissel at 812-797-8383.
 

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