Barn Quilt Trail ribbon cutting Monday afternoon
Ponca City Now - March 5, 2018 1:04 pm
The Blackwell Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 5, for the Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail.
The cermony will be held at the TOHS Museum, 303 South Main in Blackwell.
What exactly is a barn quilt? And even better, what is the world is a barn quilt trail?
Blackwell’s first barn quilt and the start of its barn quilt trail will be unveiled during the ribbon cutting.
A barn quilt is a design, traditional or not, painted on wood and mounted on a barn, a building or a stand. It can be in town or out in the country. A barn quilt trail is a map to barn quilt locations. The Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail will take visitors to Blackwell-area barn quilts.
“We are excited to begin the installation of 50 barn quilts, one representing each state, “said Cindy Oard, vice president of the Blackwell Tourism and Development Board. The Board, along with the Hometown Improvement Project, is sponsoring the project. “The first one will be placed in a handcrafted stand in front of the museum. We plan to start with 30 in town and 20 in the countryside.”
The quilts are painted on MDO board using outdoor paints. They should last at least 10 years. Most barn quilts are 4’ x 4’ although several will be 8’ x 8’.
Painters of all ages and abilities have participated, according to Oard. “Seeing the sense of community people have shown in their participation is extremely gratifying,” Oard added.
Painting times are published on the Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail Facebook page. Painting is regularly scheduled on Thursday nights at 6 p.m., and other times as advertised on Facebook at 209 N 20 Street.
Barn quilts have been part of rural areas all over the country for many years. The barn quilt trails began in the east and have become increasing popular as a way to introduce color and design into communities and the countryside. The trails have become tourist attractions with web sites and their own apps to guide people. Cowley County in Kansas has a developed and popular barn quilt trail.
