Celebrating art and agriculture as one, McLean County reached a milestone by adding its 50th quilt to the McLean County Barn Quilt Heritage Trail in summer 2016.
The project began as a way to incorporate art and poetry with the region’s gorgeous barns. A barn quilt is an 8-by-8-foot wooden square, painted with geometric quilt patterns that often tell a story about the barn or its owners. Most quilts are hung on private barns, but there are some on museums and agricultural destinations in the area, such as Ropp Cheese Shop and Funks Grove Maple Sirup barn. Local published poets have also written poetry about the quilts, incorporating more of the art aspect.
Learn more about the Barn Quilt Heritage Trail and how to see the quilts for yourself at web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/barnquilts.
