INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Any Indiana barn built before 1950 is eligible to enter a contest endorsed by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission, in celebration of the state’s 200th anniversary in 2016.
Entries will be accepted through October 2015 at www.indianabarns.com
Launched during an era in which many of the state’s grand old barns are falling into decay, the contest hopes to bring attention to barns as icons of the past, and of the future.
"Nothing is more inherent to Indiana’s history than its agricultural roots," said Betsy Jones, program coordinator for a statewide committee of volunteers spearheading the barn project. The committee’s goal is to involve every country and community in the state.
Any individual can enter a barn, Jones said. A panel of artists, preservationists and agriculturalists will select 200 entries that best celebrate Hoosier classic barns and their impact on the state’s economy and history based on aesthetics, character and condition and construction type.
Those 200 will receive a commemorative Bicentennial barn sign; 10 will receive a handcrafted framed plaque made by Dorrel Harrison, a Scottsburg artist.
In addition to the contest, a traveling exhibit and complementary educational programs are planned. Indiana Farm Credit Mid-America offices and employees have made a lead gift, and Indiana Landmarks has offered significant in-kind support.
Additional information on Bicentennial projects and ways in which individuals can become involved is available online at www.Indiana2016.org
