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Usually nothing, but folks in Caledonia are fusing them together to promote tourism in the area.
The Caledonia Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with several local farmers to hang “barn quilts” — a giant plywood version of the hand-crafted blankets — onto old barns to attract tourists to the southeastern Minnesota town known as the wild turkey capital.
Six of the so-called barn quilts will be up by the week’s end, and at least five more by the time of the Houston County Fair in August, said Anne Selness, the Chamber’s quilt committee chairwoman.
Selness’ parents, Harold and Dorothy Hendel of rural Caledonia, first discovered the quilt-patterned paintings displayed on old barns when visiting Sac County in Iowa.
Selness and her mother painted a star-themed barn quilt in April for their 1928 barn along Prairie Ridge Road. Neighbors and visitors would stop in to check it out and wanted to see more, so Selness approached the Caledonia Chamber and got the local FFA chapter involved.
Caledonia Area High School students primed 10 sheets of plywood for the first five barn quilts. The Houston County Fair Board wanted in, and several farmers started picking out quilting designs and colors on their own.
“Some people have special reasons behind their quilt design,” Selness said. “It doesn’t matter the condition of the barn, it just gives it character.”
The barn quilts will hopefully bring area residents wanting to explore the beauty of the southeastern Minnesota region, said Jane Schiltz, Caledonia Economic Development Authority director. Caledonia may not be a traveler’s first destination, but Betsy Pieper, who painted one of the quilts, said the barn quilts will offer another reason to stop.
“The project started quietly, and all of a sudden it’s been crazy,” Schiltz said. “It’s just been fun so far.”
Selness plans to print brochures and maps of all the barn quilts to make navigation of the rural town easier. For more information, call the Caledonia Area Chamber of Commerce at (507) 725-5477.
If you go
Where to find the barn quilts of Caledonia:
Herold and Dorothy Hendel: Quarter mile north of 16713 Prairie Ridge Road
Houston County Fairgrounds: 104 S. History Lane
Duane and Deloris Deters: 13069 South Prairie Drive
Dave and Betsy Pieper: 10672 Hwy. 249
John and Patricia Schulte: 13710 Rolling Hills Road
Blain and Dianne Schuldt: 14312 Hwy. 12
Jean Burrichter: 13110 Houston Hwy. 17
Amber Dulek is a reporter at the Winona Daily News.
