America’s agricultural economy is depressed; family farms are struggling to survive; barns are expensive to restore. Barns are being lost at an alarming rate—at least 1000 barns per year disappear forever from the Iowa countryside. Neglected barns must be rehabilitated now, before they are lost to the ravages of time and neglect.

Founded in 1997, the Iowa Barn Foundation is dedicated to preserving Iowa’s rural buildings, symbols of Iowa's early heritage. The Iowa Barn Foundation is an Iowa non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status under paragraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

The primary mission of the Iowa Barn Foundation is to educate the public about Iowa’s endangered barns and to provide barn restoration matching grants to help property owners restore their barns. In addition, property owners who use their own funds to restore or rehabilitate barns that would otherwise qualify for a matching grant are eligible to receive an Iowa Barn Foundation Award of Distinction. Take a look at some of the restored barns that have been featured on the 2001-2009 All-State Barn Tours.

The Iowa Barn Foundation, in keeping with its mission to preserve Iowa’s agricultural heritage, now accepts economically and financially self-sustaining farms and farmland. Through farm conservancy, these farms and farmland are saved in perpetuity for agricultural purposes according to the owner’s wishes.

We need your help to preserve Iowa’s barns! All of the funds to rehabilitate and restore Iowa’s barns come solely from private donations. Make a donation or become a member of the Iowa Barn Foundation today!

Looking for the perfect holiday cards or gifts? Check out the Iowa Barn Foundation Store.

Preservation Alerts

Watch this space for news about historic barns and other important agricultural buildings in Iowa that desperately need your help.

2012 Calendar of Events

June

Spring Iowa Barn Tour, Saturday, June 23, and Sunday June 24, 8 to 5

Unique and historic barns in Johnson and Iowa Counties will be viewed on the Iowa Barn Foundation’s self-guided spring area tour, on June 23 and 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The tour is free and opened to the public. The purpose of the tour is to encourage the preservation of barns, symbols of hard work, honesty, and the American Dream. Wilford Yoder, Iowa City photographer and barn expert, organized the tour for the Iowa Barn Foundation. He is the group’s representative for Johnson and Iowa Counties.

On Saturday, June 23, Hills Bank, 131 Main Street, Hills, will be opened from 8 to 9 a.m. so that photographs of Johnson County barns by Yoder can be viewed in the bank’s conference room. Yoder will be available to answer questions about the area’s barns. He will also have tour maps available.

All of the barns on tour have unique histories and are still used for agriculture. Several are in an Amish area.

Among the barns on tour will be an octagon barn, Pennsylvania-style barn, bank barn, prairie style barn, monitor style barn, and a barn with three gable ends. Barns with various roofs will be included: Dutch Gambrel, New England Gambrel, gable on hip, pent, and modified hip will be seen. All of the barns date from 1880 to 1940.

Visitors are asked to be aware of Amish buggies and to refrain from taking photographs of the Amish.

September

All State Iowa Barn Tour, Saturday, September 22, and Sunday September 23