A barn raising calls to mind the image of many hands working together to build a lasting structure that serves as the center of a prosperous farm. In the fall of 2004, a special barn raising took place in the Wisconsin countryside—not with hammers and saws, but with cameras.

To mark the end of 2003 as Wisconsin’s “Year of the Barn” and raise awareness of the rich heritage of barn styles in the state and their important role in rural life, the University of Wisconsin–Extension working in concert with the Wisconsin Humanities Council and the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation organized a "photographic" barn raising. The event was designed to encourage people of all ages to take photos of barns from every county in Wisconsin and submit them as part of a permanent collection.

The info icon accompanies submissions that came with additional stories, which are transcribed in the submitters' own words, reflecting the unique voices and visions of the diverse people of Wisconsin. Collectively, these stories demonstrate a passion for rural landscapes and architecture that is frequently inspired by these distinctive old barns.

The symbol indicates that this photograph was submitted as part of a contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association, Inc. (WATA) in 1994. UW-Extension received special permission from WATA to include these photographs in this collection. Visit http://www.visitdairyland.com/ to learn more about their organization.

Response to the photographic barn raising project was overwhelming. We received several thousand photographs of Wisconsin barns, and are systematically transferring them to this website.  Please be patient and keep checking back as more images are added to the database. Find out how to contribute your photos to the project.