A passionate and motivated group of Hooisers have been working hard to establish a barn organization for the state of Indiana in recent months – and what great success they have had in such a short period of time.  The first annual meeting of the Indiana Barn Foundation is coming up on July 12th and the group can already boast of supporting barn preservation legislation!  Last month, members of the organization were in Indianapolis to witness Governor Pence sign Bill 1046–a law that allows for a property tax deduction on historic barns in Indiana.  Way to go Hoosiers and congratulations to Indiana’s historic barns!

We know great things are in store for this wonderful new barn preservation organization, and hope you will lend them your support in the effort.  Below is a description of the group’s purpose and goals taken from their website.  Please share this information with anyone you think would be interested and encourage them to attend the meeting on July 12th at the Indiana state fairgrounds! 

“Indiana Barn Foundation is being established to unite those of us who value the legacy of Hoosier farmers who have worked against the odds, often single–handedly and with no financial incentive, to maintain and preserve these landmarks. We see Indiana’s historic barns as being an asset to Indiana’s larger cultural heritage; an asset worth preserving by assisting our farmers who struggle to maintain them. 

Our Proposal:  We are establishing, in conjunction with several other organizations, a private, nonprofit 501c3 mechanism to  provide grants to rehab historic Indiana barns. We expect to operate efficiently under the umbrella of the Indiana Barn Foundation, while enlisting the expertise and resources of the Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Landmarks, the National Barn Alliance and many other groups who will join us in this work.

To keep this work alive for future generations, we also foresee the Indiana Barn Foundation some day financing educational programs, producing workshops and educational materials, and surveying and documenting existing barns.

The effort to save Indiana barns will need the support and dedication of many people, and we invite you get involved in this exciting undertaking! We have the opportunity today to do more than despair at the disappearance of another Hoosier landmark.  Indiana barns have stood as a silent testament to the hard work and resourcefulness of those who settled this grand land of ours. We have a responsibility to care for and preserve our heritage now, and for future generations.”

 It couldn’t be said any better; kudos from the NBA to the Indiana Barn Foundation!