Appreciating old barns was the focus of a presentation at the Ross County Heritage Center last evening.
Tom O’Grady gave the postponed fall lecture for the Ross County Historical Society, “The Barnbuilders – An Architectural Legacy in Ohio’s Rural Landscape.” He provided a fast-paced slide show with plenty of photos on regional barn types, barn details, barn preservation…and barn losses.
“Culture groups migrating from the Middle Atlantic states and from the South settled in various regions of Ohio, and their distinct farms and barns can be observed when traveling throughout the state.
“The barn builders have left an architectural legacy throughout rural Ohio that can help one understand much about the heritage of the region.”
O’Grady is a member of the Friends of Ohio Barns, an organization founded for “encouraging conservation of Ohio Barns through stewardship.” Experts on building and understanding barns tour historical barns focused in various locations in Ohio in their annual conferences.
Friends of Ohio Barns has a website and Facebook page. Their 23rd conference will be late April in Tuscarawas County.
O’Grady is also the Director of Outreach and Director Emeritus of the Southeast Ohio History Center. Based in Athens, they “Preserve, Share, & Champion the Unique History & Culture of Southeast Ohio.”
O’Grady can be reached at ogrady@southeastohiohistory.org.
Find more in the article on the Scioto Post, including a video interview.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.