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Historic Sites:
Heritage Barn Register

Created with the passage of Substitute HB 2115 in May of 2007, the Washington Heritage Barn Register commemorates barns as historically significant resources representing the agricultural, economic and cultural development of the State of Washington. 

“Barns are a symbol of Washington’s agricultural heritage and are beautiful buildings in their own right,” said Governor Chris Gregoire.  “The Heritage Barn register will support the efforts of the Washingtonians who own these barns to preserve and stabilize these icons of our history.”

Jerri Honeyford, Chair of the Barn Advisory Committee, which is overseeing the program noted that “Barns are such an important building for farmers and ranchers that often they were built before the home.  Ours was, and so was my parents.  Designation as a Washington Heritage Barn is a positive step forward in recognizing the role agricultural buildings have played in our history and for acknowledging the stewardship barn owners have provided over several generations.”

In addition to honoring the significance of barns, the new Heritage Barn Register provides the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP) with more complete information about Washington’s historic agricultural resources.  Despite their prevalence across the state, barns are significantly underrepresented in existing registers and surveys that acknowledge historic resources.  As of 2007, before the Heritage Barn Program started, “Less than 40 barns from Washington were included in the National Register of Historic Places,” noted Michael Houser, the state’s architectural historian responsible for administering the historic register programs for DAHP. “The Heritage Barn Register creates a new level of historic designation that will, we hope, ultimately provide a better understanding of the geographic distribution, style, construction type and history of barns across the state.” 

In addition to creating the Heritage Barn Register, the Heritage Barn Preservation Initiative (HB 2115) provided for:

• Competitive matching grants to heritage barn owners throughout the state to support their efforts to preserve, stabilize and rehabilitate their barns; and
• Established the Heritage Barn Advisory Committee to review grant applications and examine tax incentives and land use regulations that support barn preservation and use.

To be eligible for listing in the new Heritage Barn Register, barns must be over 50 years old and retain a significant degree of historic and architectural integrity.  Owners interested in seeking designation for their historic barns are asked to complete a nomination form and provide basic information about the property. 

The eighth round of Heritage Barn nominations are due April 16, 2010. Those barns will be considered for designation at the February 2010 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council meeting and will be eligible to apply for the grant program (if/when money become available).  Subsequent nominations will be reviewed at proceeding ACHP meetings.

Listing on the Heritage Barn Register is strictly honorary in nature and offers no protection from demolition, nor requires review of alterations and/or changes in use.  Only barns listed on the new Heritage Barn Register, or barns that have been previously listed on the State or National Register will be eligible for grant funding under HB 2115.

Save the date.    The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Barn Alliance are holding a joint conference on the preservation of barns this May in Walla Walla.  For more information visit: National Barn Alliance.

Washington Heritage Barn Documents:

• Washington Heritage Barn Register Form - Due April 16th, 2010
• Heritage Barn Grant Application - Deadline November 4th, 2009
• Heritage Barn Grant Application Guidebook 09-11
• Heritage Barn Grant Recipients to Date

• Washington Heritage Barn Register Overview
• Heritage Barn Report - Survey and Needs Assessment
• Washington State Silos and Barns - Forms & Types
• Round One Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (Nov 2, 2007)
• Round Two Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (Jan 25, 2008)
• Round Three Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (July 26, 2008)
• Round Four Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (October 17, 2008)
• Round Five Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (May 22, 2009)
• Round Six Review of Barns - ACHP Presentation (Nov 5, 2009)
• Technical Information - Barn Contractors, History, Non-Profit Organizations
  

Send your completed Heritage Barn form to:
DAHP
1063 S. Capitol Way, Suite 106
Olympia, WA  98504.

For information about the Heritage Barn Register program, contact: Michael Houser, State Architectural Historian at (360) 586-3076 or Michael.Houser@dahp.wa.gov.

The Heritage Barn Grant Program is being administered by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.  At this time there are no Heritage Grant Funds available for distribution.  Please contact Chris Moore at (206) 624-9449 or via email at cmoore@wa-trust.org if you would like more about the program. 

Could Your Barn Qualify for Historical Designation?

A barn should retain its original materials and appearance from the time of its importance. Generally the replacement of an original cedar shingle roof with standing seem metal, does not disqualify a barn from listing.  However changes in window and door openings, as well as newer siding and additions may disqualify a property from listing.

To know if a particular barn might be eligible for consideration, you might ask the following general questions as a starting point:

1. Is the barn old (built before 1960)?
2. Is the barn exceptionally large (over 40 feet wide and over 60 feet long, not counting wings or sheds)?
3. Was it built with unusual building materials, or common materials?
4. Is it an unusual shape (not rectangular or L-shaped, but square, octagon, round, or U-shaped), or is it common?
5. Was the barn the site where the first of a new breed of cattle or other livestock that was introduced in this region or state?
6. Did an important event (such as a farm protest meeting) take place there?
7. Did an eminent agriculturist work there?
8. Was the barn publicized as a model for new barn equipment, prefabrication, or innovative construction techniques?
9. Was it built in accord with blueprint plans that still survive?
10. Is the barn an example of a design that was featured in a particular sub region or area?
11. Was the barn built by a known master barn builder?
12. Does the barn have an unusual design (architectural form, decoration, embellishments).
13. Does the property have other structures such as a dwelling, silo, outhouse, chicken coop, etc...?

Heritage Barn Markers

When funding allows, barns that are added to the Washington State Heritage Barn Register receive a free 10" x 24" custom metal plaque.  The plaque, made by the Department of Corrections in Walla Walla, commorates the listing of the barn and allows for a form of public education by displaying the built date of each barn.

For further information about the Heritage Barn Program contact Michael Houser, State Architectural Historian at (360) 586-3076 or michael.houser@dahp.wa.gov.

Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation
1063 South Capitol Way, Suite 106
Olympia WA 98501
Phone: 360-586-3065
Fax: 360-586-3067