Barns of Summers County: West Virginia Heritage in Bloomington, MN

For centuries barns served many functions: housing for animals, storage for equipment, and graineries. Farmers threshed grain on barn floors, stored hay for feeding livestock in lofts, and sheltered animals in stalls.  To farmers, barns were as essential as the houses they lived in. To many  barns represent tradition, hard work and independence. These associations are just as much a part of the barn as its framework and its roofing. The barn was also the heart of the farm and a vital center of community life. It was a place for dancing, praying, and a place for children to play. For Summers County, West Virginia, the vernacular structures were recalled and a "barn raisin" ensued. The objective of the project was not to raise the sides of a building......but to help raise awareness of the importance of preservation of our barns, the history of our people as well as our libraries.