“Barns are the shrines of a good life, and ought to be remembered.” - Eric Sloane, artist and writer
“Barns represent the heart of America, and the old ones are bleeding. So many barns, so little time.” - Robert Kroeger, artist and writer
“Barns represent the heart of America, and the old ones are bleeding. So many barns, so little time.” - Robert Kroeger, artist and writer
Welcome to the wonderful world of old barns and projects, humble attempts to preserve history by painting pictures of the barns and writing essays about them. Proceeds from most of the paintings raise funds for the 4H, historical society, or another worthy charity in the counties where the barns are located. In fact, I’ll come to your county if you can find someone familiar with your old barns, someone who is passionate enough about barns to do some leg work ahead of my visit. Use the contact form to get in touch with me regarding this.
THIS VIDEO, FEATURED IN DECEMBER, 2019, ON SPECTRUM NEWS explains my project and the plight of our vanishing landscape of old barns, not only in Ohio but other states as well. Click on the blue text to watch it.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. Each month I publish a newsletter, which chronicles my travels to find old barns. Occasionally I throw in a tip for artists. To subscribe, go to: https://robertkroeger.com/email-newsletter
ARE THE PAINTINGS FOR SALE? Yes, though most of them on this site have been or will be featured in fundraisers, which are found on the events page of my fine art site, https://robertkroeger.com/events. Other paintings - barns, marine, Gethsemani, and the doors of Santa Fe - can be purchased on that site. Commissions are welcome if time allows. Use the contact form to inquire.
Why and how? This crazy old barn, pictured above and also in the first part of the Spectrum video, sits in Ohio’s Licking County. “Granville Gray” as I call him, planted the idea – quite by accident. When, on our annual "surprise" wedding anniversary weekend in 2012, my wife Laura and I turned down the road to our bed and breakfast, we passed this gentle gray giant. Its roof sagging, its side boards warped, tilted, and missing here and there, the barn grabbed me. Disheveled, it begged for attention. I don’t know how or why, but the barn sent me a strong message: preserve my memory in a painting and an essay. I had to find out more.
So, the next day I met the owner in the small old (1830) farmhouse next to the barn and learned about its story. After I told Mr. Hall my epiphany and that I’d eventually start this project, he explained about the Welsh settlers coming from the east coast, then the Civil War veterans' land grants, and then the gunsmith across the road. The barn, he said, was built before the Civil War. Sure enough, in late 2015, I presented him with a small study painting of his barn. Isn’t it funny how ideas mushroom?
THE OHIO BARN PROJECT. My first goal was to visit each of Ohio's 88 counties and find at least one old barn to paint, ideally with a good story to write about it. Finally, I finished the project in the spring of 2020, though I resolved to continue to explore Ohio and paint its barns, the old ones falling apart on a regular basis. That spring I began my Round Barns Project, which is also a multi-year endeavor - to capture round barns (circular or polygonal) in about 35 states. These, too, are full of history and represent an interesting era in American architecture. Many are on the National Register of Historic Places.
THIS VIDEO, FEATURED IN DECEMBER, 2019, ON SPECTRUM NEWS explains my project and the plight of our vanishing landscape of old barns, not only in Ohio but other states as well. Click on the blue text to watch it.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. Each month I publish a newsletter, which chronicles my travels to find old barns. Occasionally I throw in a tip for artists. To subscribe, go to: https://robertkroeger.com/email-newsletter
ARE THE PAINTINGS FOR SALE? Yes, though most of them on this site have been or will be featured in fundraisers, which are found on the events page of my fine art site, https://robertkroeger.com/events. Other paintings - barns, marine, Gethsemani, and the doors of Santa Fe - can be purchased on that site. Commissions are welcome if time allows. Use the contact form to inquire.
Why and how? This crazy old barn, pictured above and also in the first part of the Spectrum video, sits in Ohio’s Licking County. “Granville Gray” as I call him, planted the idea – quite by accident. When, on our annual "surprise" wedding anniversary weekend in 2012, my wife Laura and I turned down the road to our bed and breakfast, we passed this gentle gray giant. Its roof sagging, its side boards warped, tilted, and missing here and there, the barn grabbed me. Disheveled, it begged for attention. I don’t know how or why, but the barn sent me a strong message: preserve my memory in a painting and an essay. I had to find out more.
So, the next day I met the owner in the small old (1830) farmhouse next to the barn and learned about its story. After I told Mr. Hall my epiphany and that I’d eventually start this project, he explained about the Welsh settlers coming from the east coast, then the Civil War veterans' land grants, and then the gunsmith across the road. The barn, he said, was built before the Civil War. Sure enough, in late 2015, I presented him with a small study painting of his barn. Isn’t it funny how ideas mushroom?
THE OHIO BARN PROJECT. My first goal was to visit each of Ohio's 88 counties and find at least one old barn to paint, ideally with a good story to write about it. Finally, I finished the project in the spring of 2020, though I resolved to continue to explore Ohio and paint its barns, the old ones falling apart on a regular basis. That spring I began my Round Barns Project, which is also a multi-year endeavor - to capture round barns (circular or polygonal) in about 35 states. These, too, are full of history and represent an interesting era in American architecture. Many are on the National Register of Historic Places.
THE BOOK: HISTORIC BARNS OF OHIO. As time passed, I visited many barns, thanks to numerous newspaper and journal articles, I met the owners and heard their stories, learned about early Ohio history, and put almost all of my barn paintings into fundraisers for nonprofits. And, in the summer of 2019, Arcadia Publishing, an American company with an imprint of The History Press, contacted me about writing a book. Published in March, 2021, it features paintings and essays about an old barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties - with over 60 paintings in color. Ordering is available via all online booksellters, most book stores, and also through Arcadia (arcadiapublishing.com), which is the best way to support this publisher, which chooses to print in Columbia, South Carolina - rather than having color printing done overseas. Ordering can be done at this link: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467145626
I would urge you to purchase it directly through the publisher since this small American company prints its own books in Columbia, South Carolina. Most art books - with color pages - are printed overseas because it's less expensive. Arcadia has managed to keep the cost down ($23.99) and still print locally, keeping jobs here. Please support this American company.
The event page on this site lists book signings, which will also fund historical societies. I'll announce current ones in my monthly barnart newsletter. You can sign up at https://www.robertkroeger.com/email-newsletter
THE BOOK: ROUND BARNS OF AMERICA. After about 10 years of research on round barns, I finished my second barn book, this one published by a small Missouri outfit, Acclaim Press.
It's much different from Historic Barns of Ohio: 8.5 x 11 large size, hard bound, full color, dust jacket, index, and bibliography. It features 75 round barns (circular, octagonal, or other polygonal without right angles) in 32 states, stretching from the east coast to the Wild West. It's the first book to cover round barns on a national scope and its stories capture early Americana - from days of the French and Indian War to the heyday of the round barns, circa 1875 to 1930.
Purchasing:
I would suggest that you purchase the book directly through the publisher since this small Missouri company prints its own books in the USA. Most art books - with color pages - are printed overseas because it's less expensive. Acclaim has managed to keep the cost down ($34.95) and still print locally, keeping jobs here. Please support this American company. However, if you order through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, please leave a book review. Thanks!
Here's a link for purchase of the book -This code will give 10% off the collector’s edition of 250, while supplies last - available only through the publisher and numbered and signed by the author/artist, Robert Kroeger. Simply enter the code - 8E72EKTV70JN - when checking out: https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/round-barns-of-america/ (Since this large hardbound book (with glossy dust jacket) is heavy, it requires sturdy packaging to avoid damage. Hence the shipping cost.) The code is good indefinitely, though the collector’s edition is limited to 250 books.
It's much different from Historic Barns of Ohio: 8.5 x 11 large size, hard bound, full color, dust jacket, index, and bibliography. It features 75 round barns (circular, octagonal, or other polygonal without right angles) in 32 states, stretching from the east coast to the Wild West. It's the first book to cover round barns on a national scope and its stories capture early Americana - from days of the French and Indian War to the heyday of the round barns, circa 1875 to 1930.
Purchasing:
I would suggest that you purchase the book directly through the publisher since this small Missouri company prints its own books in the USA. Most art books - with color pages - are printed overseas because it's less expensive. Acclaim has managed to keep the cost down ($34.95) and still print locally, keeping jobs here. Please support this American company. However, if you order through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, please leave a book review. Thanks!
Here's a link for purchase of the book -This code will give 10% off the collector’s edition of 250, while supplies last - available only through the publisher and numbered and signed by the author/artist, Robert Kroeger. Simply enter the code - 8E72EKTV70JN - when checking out: https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/round-barns-of-america/ (Since this large hardbound book (with glossy dust jacket) is heavy, it requires sturdy packaging to avoid damage. Hence the shipping cost.) The code is good indefinitely, though the collector’s edition is limited to 250 books.
Muhlhauser Barn, West Chester, Butler County
This barn tells a story of early Cincinnati history, which I've documented in the Ohio Barn section - under Butler County. In the early 1800s German immigrants settled in Cincinnati and many brought with them some brewery expertise. and, of course, their love of beer.
As the date on the roof attests, G. Muhlhauser, who owned a brewery with another German named Windisch in Cincinnati's Over-The-Rhine section, built this barn in 1881.
These beer barons grew their hops and grains on such farms in Butler County and transported them to the breweries. But in the mid-1900s, Prohibition and national brands took Cincinnati off the beer-making map. The barn served no use and, after the owners sold to an insurance company, the barn's fate looked grim.
But West Chester Township stepped in, purchased the barn for a dollar, and, thanks to the family for paying for its disassembly, was able to transport it to a new location and repurpose it. Over the past decade it has hosted thousands of events and weddings and typically is booked well over a year in advance.
In my travels, I've seen many restored barns and I judge this one to be one of the best.
It was a fitting venue for the exhibit of all 88 barn paintings (include nine local barns), A Tribute to Ohio's Historic Barns. This event took place on September 29,2021 with those attending from all over Ohio.
FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/historicbarnproject/ (weekly postings)