Marshall County Barn Quilt Trail
Connecting our communities
There's no better way to experience the culture and history of rural Northern Indiana than by hitting the road to travel through the gently rolling countryside. In the spring of 2009, this journey became even more inviting as colorful quilt-block murals started to adorn historic barns, family homesteads and public spaces.
Indiana's first Barn Quilt Trail celebrates the history of agriculture, time-honored tradition of quilting, the community's passion for art, community pride and Hoosier Hospitality.
Connecting the communities throughout Marshall County, the Barn Quilt Trail features a series of large murals painted in a variety of quilt patterns on barns, businesses and public spaces in downtown areas including popular Culver and Plymouth.
Self-guided trail maps are in the process of being available online at visitmarshallcounty.org where you'll also learn more about the barns of Marshall County, the history of the quilt patterns chosen and all the things you can see and do while following the Barn Quilt Trail.
The art of quilt making has come full circle since the first women settlers brought it from Europe to America's shores. Quilts and quilting echo the social and economic history of families and communities; today, appearing in creative new formats, they contribute to the art of modern life, tell stories and – as with the Barn Quilt Trail – bring color and interest to an already beautiful landscape.
About Barn Quilts
Barn Quilts help tell stories and celebrate history Heirloom quilt patterns are painted on sheets of plywood ranging in size from 4-foot-by-4-foot to 8-foot-by-8-foot. No two Barn Quilt blocks are the same, just as traditional quilts vary in size, color and style. Many of the quilt patterns tell stories about family, history and culture.
Barn Quilts are a growing phenomenon The first Barn Quilt known was designed by Donna Sue Groves of Adams County, Ohio. Donna painted a quilt block and erected it on her barn as a way to honor her mother, who was an avid quilter. From this first Barn Quilt, the popularity spread through out Southern Ohio into West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa and now Indiana.
Barn Quilt Partners
The Barn Quilt Trail was created by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau in partnership with local organizations and community members.