Why is the “Big Red Barn” Red?
Red. Why is red the traditional color of barns in America? Just like the big red barn at USC’s Gilfillan Homestead, America’s rural scene is enlivened by the presence of bright barns akin to flamboyant poppies, emblazening the countryside with flashes of crimson. In spring and summer, the explosions of scarlet contrasts vividly with emerald green grass, colorful fertile fields, and vibrant fruitful orchards. When the last autumn leaf has fallen, red barns lend energy to a dreary, barren landscape. And as the snow begins to fall, the earth, with its blanket of winter’s white, is a sharp contrast to the festive big red barn! Strength and convenience were regarded as the most essential requisites in early American barns. Early settlers built huge barns, symbols of expansive hopes and plans for life in America. Weather was always an important consideration in planning the location of a barn. The early builders mapped routes of sunshine, wind,
Mary Lynne Spazok
and water drainage. They paid careful attention to the health and comfort of the animals, as well as to the protection and preservation of barn timbers and stored grain. Lewis Evans (colonial surveyor and geographer engaged by Benjamin Franklin) wrote in 1753, “It is pretty to behold our back settlements where barns are as large as palaces, while owners live in log huts, a sign of thrifty framing.” While farmhouses changed with trends in fashion from 1650 to 1850, barns did not vary. The barn, a status symbol of the American farmer, remained a dignified hand-hewn structure. Early 18th century bridges and barns went unpainted. The right wood in the right place, it was discovered, needed no paint. Even houses in the earliest settlements were not painted. To paint the barn would have been viewed not only as extravagant, but vulgar and showy. In the late 1850s, the same scrollwork that decorated a farmer’s house often adorned his barn as well. However, by the late 1700s, the art of wood seasoning gave way to the art of artificial preservation. But where, when, and why did barn painting begin? To assert that barn red paint originated with American Indians
Have you ever milked a cow? If not, give it a try! Mr. Sickle from Greenfield Farms will be at Gilfillan Farm on Community Day to give you tips and measure your efforts. The top milker will win a prize. While waiting your turn, chat with organic gardener Shannon Thompson who will be at the farm to help answer your questions.
Enjoy a wagon ride to the barn.
Visitors at the barn 18
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
actually has foundation. Records indicate that, in accordance with an old American Indian custom, farm stock blood was mixed with milk and used for staining interior surfaces. A pigment called “Indian Red” was made from clay mixed with whites of wild turkey eggs. Turkey blood was added to provide a deep mahogany shade. Stains using blood were not, however, suitable for outdoor use. Virginia farmers were the first colonists to become fashionably paint-conscious. Every farmer knew that a tried and true recipe for faultless milk paint included the natural binding agents milk and lime. Classic barn color included many substances such as rust or berries. Livestock blood was also added to milk to produce paint for indoor use only. This plastic-like coating hardened quickly and lasted for years. Occasionally, it hardened too well and peeled off in sheets. Later, linseed oil was added to the recipe to provide the necessary soaking quality. American “barn red” was born and came into being through function and utility, rather than decor or superstition. A definite attribute during harsh winter gales, the color “red” kept the interior of the barn warmer in winter since it absorbed the sun’s rays.
Summer 2009