My love for barns and the people associated with them dates back some years ago when I began to take some pictures of barns and talk with the farmers who owned them. Boom! It quickly awakened me to the part of history I never received in college. Farmers are the common denominator for how great our Country is and barns are the interchangeable symbols of their lives and experiences. The richness of the stories farmers and family members tell about their barns made me realize we may lose something very precious as farmers and barns disappear.

The modality of all of us is clear, but preserving or saving a barn and its story can live on for generations. How to do this is the question? The economic, political, and human indifference to such preservation effort of saving barns is significant. But with ingenuity, fortitude, resourcefulness and creativity, much like the farmers of today and years gone by, it can be done. The first step is public awareness of the barns and their stories in Utah, county by county will go a long way to educate others. Awareness without action can be meaningless, so eventually newsletters, grants, working with elected officials, etc. will be the next step.

My role models for doing this are Bob and Linda Dalley of the West Jordan Historical Museum. Their example of saving the last barn in West Jordan is one way of saving a barn. There are many other ways as well. Through their collaboration and support this web site will continue to grow county by county until complete. Equally important is my wife, Myrna, who puts up with the many hours and days, traveling the roads in Utah.