PA Invites residents to “Celebrate Your Barn”

From Lancaster’s rolling farmland to the ridges of the Alleghenies to Adams County and all around the Commonwealth, barns remain one of Pennsylvania’s most recognizable landmarks. Now, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is asking residents to help preserve those stories through its new “Celebrate Your Barn” initiative.

The program invites Pennsylvanians to share photographs and histories of their barns, whether they are centuries-old stone structures, family-built dairy barns, or more recently restored buildings. Each submission will become part of the state’s growing inventory of historic resources, ensuring that barns are recognized as essential pieces of agricultural and cultural heritage.

PA SHPO officials say the effort will not automatically lead to National Register eligibility, but the material will help researchers, planners, and preservation advocates better understand the role barns have played in Pennsylvania’s development. The documentation will also provide context for future preservation work at both the state and local level.

Participants are asked to submit at least one current photograph and answer three questions: what the barn is called or how it should be identified, where it is located, and what is known about its history or use. Memories, special features, and stories connected to the structure are also welcome. The office encourages contributors to capture images showing multiple sides of the building, as well as details such as doors, rooflines, hardware, or decorative elements.

Examples from PA SHPO’s own files — from a 19th-century Dauphin County stone barn to a Somerset County bank barn documented in 2023 — illustrate how barns vary widely across the state. Together, officials say, these records create a fuller picture of how barns were built, adapted, and maintained across generations.

Submissions can be made online through a simple form, sent by email, or mailed directly to PA SHPO’s Harrisburg office. Copies of supporting documents, such as old drawings, plans, or news articles, are also encouraged.

Source: PA Historic Preservation