Barn Quilt driving tours have been around for over a decade in Ohio but did you know that over 15 counties offer self-guided driving tours? Gathering research and information for this post was fun since I learned a lot about each county and how their barn quilt trails all got their start. The whole thing began back in 2005 in Adams County when Donna Sue Groves had a plan to honor her mother and the barn quilt trails began!
We just happen to live in a county that offers a barn quilt tour and have stopped at many of them over the past five years or so. My youngest boys thought I was crazy at first pulling into a driveway of someone we did not know just to stop and take a picture. Soon they learned and understood that it was okay for us to go exploring the location of each barn quilt as long as we minded our manners.
Adams County– Donna Sue Groves had a dream to someday honor her mother with a large painting on their barn of her mother’s passion, quilting. That one beautiful dream has now lead to more than the planned 21 quilt squares, throughout Adams County and beyond!
Ashtabula County Barn Quilt Trail– The Ashtabula County Barn Quilt Trail wanders across Ohio’s largest county, taking in working farms, orchards, wineries, historical sites and private property owners proud of their county, businesses and homes.
A Patchwork Path through Athens County– There’s no better way to tour the hills of Athens County than the Quilt Barn Tour. Your mission: to see over twenty historic quilt barns. Your reward: spectacular views of the Appalachian hill country. While on the lookout for the next historic Quilt Barn, you’ll discover winding creeks, fields of wildflowers, spectacular overlooks, and covered bridges. Pack a picnic and don’t forget your camera. Choose between the 45-mile Appliqué Loop, the 45-mile Stitch Loop, or the 55-mile Quilter’s Loop.
Brown County-Offers 19 barn quilt stops along it’s trail and offers a handful of covered bridges as well.
Carroll County Quilt Square Park– not a specific driving tour but more of a quilt square around downtown that shares significant history of the area.
Barn Quilt Trail of Clinton County- Clinton County embraces its agricultural history with spectacular hand-painted quilt squares on area barns. Take a self-guided, cross-county car tour and experience the beautiful countryside while visiting 54 barns adorned with unique quilt patterns. The Barn Quilt Trail Brochure gives you the history of each barn and quilt pattern. The brochure is available at the Clinton County Visitors Bureau.
Heritage Quilt Barn Trail of Coshocton County-Discover the beauty and heritage of Coshocton County two lanes at a time with a good old-fashioned road trip. The Coshocton County Heritage Quilt Barns tell a local history through the reproduction of old family quilt patterns and family stories. A delightful 22.2 mile drive through history!
Paint Creek Patterns of Fayette County, Highland County and Ross County-A brochure, Paint Creek Patterns, highlights the fifty plus quilt squares installed on barns in the three county area around Greenfield. The printed brochure is available from the Greenfield Historical Society’s museum complex on McArthur Way (Thursdays 1-4 p.m.).
Gallia County Quilt Barn Trail provides a tour of the scenic tri-county area while showcasing 50 plus quilt patterns as well as historic sites and recreational facilities. Designed to highlight the agriculture heritage of Gallia County and the importance of the folk art of quilting, the trail features large painted patchwork quilt blocks hung on barns and other farm buildings. While you are in the area you might stop at the Ohio Tattoo Musuem!
Geauga County– The goal of the Geauga County Quilt Trail is to promote the historic beauty and cultural significance of quilt making through the exhibition of hand painted historically accurate quilt squares affixed to highly visible barns and buildings in Geauga County. It’s an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote and celebrate our community pride.
Greene County 4-H Quilt Square Trail – Beth Bridgeman and Melanie Hart of the OSU Extension office suggested asking Greene County’s 4-H clubs to take on the quilt square trail as a community project.Thirty clubs accepted the challenge and the Greene County 4-H Quilt SquareTrail was born. Each club would select a pattern and create an eight-foot by eight-foot quilt square painted on plywood.To add excitement, the committee decided to seek permission from the Greene County Fair Board to announce the project at the 2010 Greene County Fair and have fair visitors vote for their favorite.
Hancock County Barn Quilt Trail -Take a step back to Hancock County’s and Northwest Ohio agricultural roots with a scenic Barn Quilt tour. All of the county’s 17 townships have at least barn quilt on display, with a minimum of 86 quilt squares scattered throughout Hancock County.
Harrison County Quilt Barn Project– Harrison County opted to have the Make a Difference Day project revolve around the “Quilt Barn” concept which has been carried out in other Appalachian areas.The effort entailed installing eight-foot square painted replicas of quilt squares on barns throughout the county. The barns are promoted as a “drive it yourself” tour of Harrison County. They also serve as a constant reminder of our pioneer and agricultural heritage
Lorain County’s Patchwork Trails– Lorain County is combining and embracing agricultural history with the beauty of a hand-made quilt. Follow the route to enjoy viewing an array of colorful and unique barn quilts that are replicas of traditional quilt squares. The quilt patterns, names, and origins all have some type of political, patriotic, and historical significance. Make your way through the scenic trail to see for yourself!
Barn Quilts of Miami County- Decorating the scenic landscape are true folk-art renditions of traditional quilt squares, hand painted on barns throughout Miami County. This colorful array of barn quilts connects the countryside with our lovely, historic downtown communities, while celebrating the unique rural and agricultural experience in our area. Enjoy the beauty and simple elegance of the land as you make your way from town to town.
Read about our adventures with Barn Quilts in Miami County.
Ottawa County Barn Quilt Trail is an invitation for visitors to take a driving tour around the county to view the quilt blocks mounted on barns and buildings and enjoy the unique character of Ottawa County. In addition to promoting tourism, the trail fosters an appreciation of barns, tells the story of an agricultural community, and displays the art, craft, and legacy of quilt making in the region.
Pike’s Patches Quilt Barn Trail of Pike County-Pike’s Patches is a project of The Pike Arts Guild and the Pike County Convention and Visitors Bureau and links Pike County with the other Ohio counties participating in the “Clothesline of Quilts” throughout Ohio and other states. Our quilt squares are primarily based on a family quilt being placed on the same family’s building or barn.
Tuscarawas County 4-H Quilt Square Trail – In February 2011, the Tuscarawas County 4-H program began what would become the second quilt square trail in the nation to be created exclusively by the 4-H community. Over the next 3 years and with the support of barn owners and community partners, 4-H’ers marked, painted, and framed 71 quilt squares which are showcased on barns throughout the county.
A Stitch in Time: The Quilt Barns of Vinton County – This trail, known as “A Stitch in Time: The Quilt Barns of Vinton County,” features 27 throughout Vinton County. Imagine driving through the peaceful countryside to find the images of quilts hanging on barns. You won’t believe your eyes the first time you spot one of these beautiful works of art. Quilters and barn enthusiasts alike will fall in love with the Quilt Barns of Vinton County.
Quilt Barns of Warren County – Quilt Barns are a unique public art component and serve to enhance any community. They also pay respect to the history of a county and the citizens who tended to the land and cared for our local farms. Quilt Barns are not exclusive to barns. You’ll find them on local businesses, garages, bridges and on private residences. There are no rules.
Add to my Ohio Roadtrip bucket list! I didn’t even know this was a thing!
This looks like a fun tour. Was there enough for the kids to do while you visited?
You would have to check with each county’s Convention and Visitors Bureau or Tourism Board to play some things along the way. Many of the counties also offer Covered Bridge Tours and I am sure there’s always a park or playground to stop and have lunch at. We have only down our local county’s Barn Quilt Tour and only as we are driving around the county for other programs…
I love barn quilts. I will be driving through Ohio this May. Thanks for the tour information!