Historic restored barns, throughout Iowa, will be opened to the public during the Iowa Barn Foundation’s free, self-guided, all-state barn tour from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Northwest Iowa

Johnson barn, 4594 Vine Avenue, Sutherland (O’Brien County) – From Sutherland, travel one mile north on County Road M 12. The barn is on the northeast corner of the intersection of M12 and B 53. Barn was built about 1920 for John Adams, a dairy farmer. It has a footprint of over 2000 square feet. Twin cupolas and horse weathervanes are original. Arched rafters had to be hoisted in place with pulleys and horse power. This allowed for access to the loft without support poles.

Lorch Mennonite barn. (A-34 (220th Street) and M-18 (White Avenue), Ocheyedan. This magnificent Mennonite barn was built in 1889 and has a distinctive overhanging side.

Ackerman barn. (One-half mile north of Ocheyedan on corner of L-58 and Highway 9.) On the Todd and Susan Ackerman farm are barn and smaller “matching” hog house built between 1915 and 1918. The barn is 84-by-36-feet; the hog house is 56-by-24-feet. At one time two Russian carpenters lived in the haymow of the hog house.

Belfrage barn, 2410 Port Neal Road, Sergeant Bluff (Woodbury County) – Take Port Neal exit off of I-29 then go west 2 miles to the first intersection. Turn right and go two miles north. Farm is on the right. Owner’s great-grandfather, John Belfrage, served in the Civil War, and bought the land on which this barn stands in 1875. A carpenter named Aaron Gunderson built the barn on the land in 1910.

Conover barn, 5315 190th Street, Holstein (Ida County) – From Holstein travel 1.5 mile west on US 20. Turn south on L67 and go three miles. Turn left on 190th. It is the first place on north side of road. Barn was built around 1900 and used by C.B. Conover and his son, C.B., Jr., for their outstanding Belgian draft horses. Harry Linn, Iowa’s secretary of agriculture, gave draft horse demonstrations here.

Jensen barn, 2410 560th Avenue, Ringsted (Emmett County) – Travel one mile east of Ringsted on blacktop. Then go one-eighth mile south on P12. Barn with attached milk house was built in 1938. Track and carriage in hayloft are still used to lift hay into the barn.

Hansen Barn, 4015-340th Avenue, Ruthven. (Clay County) – Take N 18 four miles south of Ruthven. One-of-a-kind landmark corncrib, built in 1940’s, holds 7000 bushels of ear corn and 4000 bushels of small grain. In the middle of the crib is a bucket system that transports ear corn to the top of the corncrib and releases it into multiple outlets. Grandfather of owner died when owner’s father was 18 and he had to take over farm.

Ascherl barn, 4680 McKinley, Granville (O’Brien/Sioux Counties) – From Granville, go one mile east on Highway 10 and a half mile south on gravel. Barn is on east side of road. This landmark barn was built in 1914 by Mr. Diers from Germantown.

Battaglioli barn, 4819 480th Street, Granville (O’Brien County) – From Granville, take Highway 10 east two miles. Turn south on Monroe and drive two miles to 480th Street. Then travel east a quarter of a mile. This distinguished barn highlights an area.

Ferguson barn, 40415 130th Avenue, Laurens (Pocahontas County) – Barn is 3.5 miles straight north of Laurens at 40415 130th Avenue. Barn and landmark “conehead” crib were built in 1912. Elevator still works.

Clancy Barn, 1866 Marengo (Highway 4 and 7), Pomeroy (Calhoun County). Barn was built in 1948 by Leo Clancy, charter member of Charlois Association, who raised the cattle on the farm.

Dreyer barn, 102 310th Street, Fenton (Kossuth County) – From the south side of Fenton, turn west on County Road B 19. Go 1/2 mile west to second place of south side of road. Barn was built in 1903 and used as dairy barn until 1944. There is a 1,000-gallon wooden water storage tank in hayloft. Manure unloading system is intact.

North central Iowa

Chizek Barn, 1665 250th Street, Garner (Hancock County) Go west out of Garner on Highway 18 to US 69. Turn north for one mile on 69 and take a left on 250th St. Barn built by Albert Chizek, owner’s grandfather, in 1942. It has an open loft area.

Hoarce Hendrickson Barn, 2035 490th St, Northwood (Worth County) Go east from Northwood on Highway 105 for five miles. Turn left on S56 to 490th Street. Turn east. Barn was built in 1894. Farm was purchased by owner’s great-grandfather after arriving from Norway. This was one of five farms he bought – one for each son.

Haugen barn, 18446 420th Street, Leland (Winnebago County) – Go north out of Leland on US 69 to 420th Street (three miles). Turn right on 420th (gravel). It is the first place on north side. Barn was built in 1915. In 1924 Peter Haugen enlarged it using a handsaw to split the barn in two. He added to the middle.

Harvey barn, 4516 190th Street, Estherville (Emmet County) – Take Highway 9 through Gruver. Turn south on N40. Go two miles. Turn east mile. Farm was homesteaded in 1899. Dan Harvey’s great grandparents built the barn in 1927.

Yezek barn, 22881 Vine Avenue, Plymouth (Cerro Gordo County) – From Rock Falls, go one mile north on the county blacktop. Barn is on the east side of the road. This 32-by-52-foot barn with metal cupola was built in 1930 and is one of the only barns standing in the area. The barn was in vulnerable condition when the Yezeks started the restoration project.

Bennett barn, 1664 Eagle Avenue, Latimer (Franklin County) – Take I-35 to State Highway 3. Turn west on 3 and go one mile to Eagle Avenue. Turn north and go 2.5 miles. This handsome clay tile barn, with round laminated rafter roof, was built in 1950 by Henning Construction Company, Latimer, for a dairy herd. The cow stanchions had drinking cups; there is a chain lift manure carrier.

Dodd barn, 1854 40th Street, Ackley (Franklin County) – Travel four miles west of Ackley on Highway 57. Turn north on S55 for two miles to 40th Street. Go mile west. Barn was built by Ernest Aldinger, one of three Aldinger brothers who built farms within a mile of each other.

Award of Distinction icon Younker Family Heritage Farm barn, 25734 Highway 57, 3 miles east of Parkersburg, (Butler County)-Take Highway 14 north of US 20 to Highway 57 and turn east. This large (112×30) barn has been in the same family since the barn was built in the late 1800’s. Inside the barn is a 16’x24′ wooden silo that was manufactured by the Indiana Silo company and was built around 1909. This landmark barn was recently lovingly restored by Eleanor Tostlebe Peterson and family. (Award of Distinction).

Welter barn, 13725 X, Avenue, Cedar Falls (Black Hawk County). Original blueprints developed by Agricultural Engineering Department, Iowa State. It was built in 1947. Working farm was purchased in 1867 by Ole Johnson and has been in the same family since.

James Michels barn, 1278 Mason Avenue, Stanley (Buchanan County)-From Hazelton, go east on C 57 for three miles to Mason Avenue. Turn south and go 3/4 miles. Barn is on the east. Redwood tongue and groove 40’x 80′ barn was built in 1947 when the family started raising Angus cattle.

Rockafellow barn, 4484 Echo Avenue, St. Ansgar (Mitchell County) – Go north out of St. Ansgar on US 218 for two miles. Turn left at Echo Avenue. Beautiful bank barn, with a limestone foundation, was built in 1877 for horses and cattle. The timber was framed with wooden pegs.