Barn Preservation Education for
Owners, Scholars, and Enthusiasts

Why Preserve Barns?

Barns are the story of America; from pioneer times to our modern rural landscape. It is a long, interesting, and important story. The barns of America have stood as witnesses and guardians of our collective history. From tiny log pens cut into wildness to ornate castles in the middle of vast fields, they tell the story of hard work: they tell stories of dedication, tradition, aspiration, and creativity. It is our nation’s story told in wood, brick, and stone. Barn preservation is keeping this one-of-a-kind story alive for all to see, touch, and experience.

What is Barn Preservation?

Barn preservation is the act of saving the most iconic building—often called the heart—of every American farm. Every year, we lose more and more of our iconic barns to development, decay, and abandonment. Unfortunately, there are very few grants to aid in the physical repair of privately owned barns in our country. Therefore, those lucky barns that are being preserved are often saved by individual property owners at no small expense.

We at the NBA are thankful for the many ways in which Americans today are looking to preserve our rural heritage and save our barns!