There’s no place like rural Ohio.

If you’re a true Ohioan, then you know the value of a leisurely backroad drive on a lazy afternoon. The Buckeye State is home to some of the most charming countryside in America. (Be sure to check out this covered bridge trail.) If you’ve ever heard of something called the Ohio Barn Quilt Trail, you should set aside a day to explore the quilt barns nearest you—because there’s likely a county dotted with these special barns less than an hour’s drive time away. (Chances are, your own county is hiding a few of these special barns!)

Driving through rural Ohio, you might have noticed some color occasionally dotting the rolling hills of the countryside.
Don O'Brien/Flickr
What started in the early 2000s as a hobby to honor family members is now both a statewide and nationwide trend.
Quilt barns are barns that feature painted quilt-like patterns. Each pattern is a unique pice of art that often symbolizes something unique to the family, commemorates an event or showcases the property's history in some way.
jcsullivan24/Flickr
The very first quilt barn appeared in Adams County, Ohio in 2001 when Donna Sue Groves wanted to honor her quilting mother by hanging a quilt square on their barn.
Today, quilt barns cover much of rural Ohio and more than 40 states with hundreds of individual quilt trails. The trend simply took off, giving families a unique stamp on America's countryside.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
To view a map of the Ohio Barn Quilt Trail, click here.

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You never really know what sort of surprises and patterns you'll find, especially in southern Ohio.
Don O'Brien/Flickr
To view a list of several southern Ohio quilt barns and their stories, click here.
And sometimes, you have to look a little closer and really search for the pattern...
Brent Moore/Flickr
Rock City barns are especially rare. It's estimated that nearly 100 or less remain in the country.
....like this Brown County barn and its backside quilt pattern along Old US 62 outside of Ripley.
Brent Moore/Flickr
It's like a scavenger hunt!

Some Ohio counties have even started their own quilt barn trails, such as the Ashtabula County Barn Quilt Trail. For more information about this particular trail, watch the short video below.

 

 

What do you think? Would you take the Ohio Quilt Barn Trail? Have you spotted any barn quilts recently? Share your thoughts, photos and experiences with us!

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