Welcome to the homepage for the Allamakee County Barn Survey!

The exceedingly prosperous decade of the 1990’s and the subsequent years following have witnessed an explosive growth of suburban and exurban development to many parts of America.  The loss of farms and their barns is a nationwide occurrence. The traditional family farm with its farmstead consisting of dwelling, one or more barns and outbuildings is disappearing.

The landscape images we associate with the traditional family farm in rural America were largely forged in the nineteenth century. Paramount in this imagery is the barn. The nineteenth century became America’s great era of barn building. As agricultural land was largely developed by the twentieth century, the great era of barn building gradually receded. The current trend is to build the lower cost pole barns and our traditional barns are becoming obsolete. 

As agriculture continues to change, the farm landscape will continue to change.  In an effort to record this part of agriculture’s history, a survey of the barns in Allamakee County will be completed in 2007.  Using the National Barn Survey, produced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation-BARN AGAIN! And the National Barn Alliance, we will survey the condition and construction of the barns in our area and create a permanent record and photo library.

Volunteers are needed to record this part of our history.  Please contact the Iowa State University Extension—Allamakee County office to become involved, 563-568-6345.

Barn Survey (pdf)

Barn Roof Shapes (pdf)

Our Partners....

• Iowa State University Extension--Allamakee County
• Allamakee County Historic Preservation Commission
• Allamakee County Farm Bureau Women

Our Progress....