Historic Barn Tour Photo Contest 2015 - Visit Skagit Valley - North Cascades National Park to Farmlands to Salish Sea

Historic Barn Tour Photo Contest 2015

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This weekend is the last weekend to catch the display gardens at Tulip Town.  But as the tulips are being topped in the fields there is always time to catch great photos of Skagit Valley’s historic barns!  Join us this year for the Historic Barn Tour Photo Contest 2015!

Snap photos and win a prize! Take a picture of your favorite barn, and send it to us. We’ll send you a copy of our award-winning book, “Harvesting the Light”!  Email your photos to barns@co.skagit.wa.us. Please limit your email to one photo per submission.

Architecture is the key, but these magnificent structures dotted throughout the countryside take you to a simpler time. Each barn — whether it’s an English Gambrel, Broken Gable or Salt Box style — is as rich in anecdotal history as it is in the patina of worn wood. Some barns are more than 100 years old, some were used for cattle and dairy farming, and most are still in use.  You will be delighted with history and beauty during your historic barn tour in Skagit Valley!

There’s a delightful history with each cavernous structure, such as the one that has an old hand-made sign, still intact, that reads “Saturday Night Dance.”

The Skagit County Historical Museum has created a heritage barn tour including 55 historic registered barns. These self-guided tours include the build date, roof style, agricultural use and in many cases, the family history of many Skagit County pioneers.

We hope you enjoy viewing these amazing structures – and learning about their wonderful histories.

Here are some helpful tips!

  • Here are some helpful tips to make your Barn Map experience more enjoyable:
    • The photos of the barns are from the public right of way. There are three barns – #4, #16 and #29 – that are not visible from
    the roadway. We have provided photos of these barns, but please do not attempt to access them. Please be respectful of
    private property. Interior access to the barns is not available.
    • The barns are scattered across the county, so following the map 1 to 58 may not be the best route. We suggest taking the barns
    in zones and enjoy them by area.
    • Many of the barns are in remote parts of the County, so your cell phone and internet services may not work in all areas.
    • The map is not meant to be a ‘road map’. It is to provide designations for each barn and get you in the vicinity. The map is not
    exactly to scale, so we suggest using either a GPS to locate, or a detailed road map of the County.
    • As you travel around the County, you may notice other amazing barns that aren’t included in the map. The map lists the 58
    barns that have been designated Heritage Barns. Hopefully more barns will be added to this list, so the wonderful structures
    can be protected and preserved. Enjoy the additional bonus sights!

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Heritage Barn Mobile Tour

Dial 360-355-3039 to access audio recordings of each barn.
When prompted, enter the number of the Barn you are interested in.
While listening to the recordings, you can press:
1 to rewind
2 to pause/play
3 to fast forward
# to skip
Press *0 to leave feedback about your tour.

Barn Information

You can download information for each barn in PDF format.  Use the number on the map to determine which file has the information for the barn you are interested in.

Historic Barn Tour Map

 

The family friendly Skagit County Historical Museum is located at the top of the hill in La Conner.  The museum does have printed version of the tour available as does the La Conner Visitor Information Center.

Skagit County Historical Museum
501 South 4th, La Conner
360-466-3365
Tues – Sun 11 to 5, open Mondays in April

La Conner Visitor Information Center
511 Morris St
La Conner, WA 98257
888-642-9284
info@laconnerchamber.com

Historic Barn Photography Tours – Photos By Andy Porter