We took a ride through Warren County, N.J., looking at "barn quilts." They're beautiful, and a great reminder that NJ's agricultural heritage is still strong.

1. Warren
County
Quilt Run
October 6, 2012
Doug, Karen and
our Miata MX-5

2. Using directions provided by the Delaware Valley Miata
Club, we set off to
explore barn quilts and get a look at the leaves as they begin
turning for the fall.
Barn quilts, we discovered, are a fairly recent addition to some
very historic barns. Starting in Ohio, barn owners added these
painted plywood panels to the barns to draw attention to their
historic value. If nothing else, finding them is an incentive to
see the beautiful vistas and agricultural heritage of Warren
County. There are quilt squares on barns in seven of New
Jersey‟s counties, but Warren has the most with 10.
There‟s information and more photos about these barns on the
web. The best site is www.njbarnquilts.com .
Here‟s a visual record of our hunt of barn quilts in Warren
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12
County.

3. We found this single-lane bridge on the way out to Phillipsburg.
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

4. In some places, the leaves were barely beginning to
turn. Others,
There were already bright yellows and reds.
Meanwhile, Karen got a picture of me driving.
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

5. One lane for traffic, one lane for the river. High Bridge
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

6. Our first quilt of the day! It‟s a “Tilted Ohio Star” on the Frey Farm in
Carpentersville. We had to peek down the drive or through the trees, but it was
beautiful. The star honors the Frey‟s daughter-in-law, who was raised on an Ohio
farm. The Frey family moved to this farm in Spring 1888. The original barn burned
in 1951, but friends and neighbors built a new one. The 379-acre farm is still in the
family and the walls of the original homestead, dating to 1765, still stand.
http://njbarnquilts.com/warrencoquilts/freyfarmquilt.html
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

7. As we crossed railroad tracks, we found these lime kilns. The man who lives next to
them explained that limestone was dumped in the top, hot fires were stoked in these
kilns and the resulting powder was used as mortar and fertilizer. Trains on these
tracks picked up the product.
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

8. Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

9. Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

10. Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

11. Second quilt! This square is on the Hunt Homestead in Phillipsburg. The barn was
built around 1900 but the farm dates to the mid-1770s. The current Hunts are the
seventh generation. They still live in the farmhouse built by Edward Hunt in 1775.
Edward took care of George Washington‟s horses during the winter of 1778-79 on
this farm. http://njbarnquilts.com/warrencoquilts/hunthomesteadquilt.html
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

12. The original Hunt Homestead farmhouse.
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

13. We were lucky enough to meet
Mr. Oberly as he was working in
his barn. This American Pride
Quilt Block adorns his
Stewartsville barn, which has
been in his family for 11
generations. He told us the
barn was built in 1851, and they
know this because they used
the same scaffolding on the
church down the street. When
they were done at the
church, they brought it down to
the barn.
Information on the njbarnquilts
website
(http://njbarnquilts.com/warrenc
oquilts/oberlyfarmquilt.html )
says the farm was purchased in
1850 by Charles and Anna
Oberly and was a milking barn
until 1974. Today, the family
Warren County Quilt Run – and raise
farms 130 acres 10/06/12

14. Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

15. Horses? Just the ones generated by the 16 valves under my hood…
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

16. This flower basket quilt
square graces the side of a
barn at Mackey‟s Orchards in
Belvidere. The place was
hopping as people were
stopping in for
pumpkins, flowers, fruit. We
just wanted the quilting
square.
The farm was started eight
generations ago. Today it is
a 96-acre orchard and is still
in the family.
http://njbarnquilts.com/warre
ncoquilts/mackeyfarmquilt.ht
ml
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

17. Yeeeaaaa! We make it
to Hot Dog Johnny‟s for
lunch!
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

18. At the Planer farm in Hope, we
saw this beautiful “Audrey‟s
Basket.” The barn was built in
the 1880s and used as a dairy
farm until the 1960s. Today, it is
used for hay storage and as a
farm shop. The barn is brace-
framed with a limestone
foundation and pegged hand-
hewn beams. The Planer family
has owned the farm since 1946.
By the way, what do you think
of those quilt squares on the
trunk of our Miata?
http://njbarnquilts.com/warrenco
quilts/planerfarmquilt.html
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

19. This is the circa-1880 wagon house of a farm that dates back to the early 1800s.
The farm itself has been subdivided with pieces going to private owners as well as
to add to Jenny Jump State Park. The wagon house has been restored. The interior
structure is still intact. The quilt square is called the Moravian Star and was “chosen
because of the Moravian Village of Hope and the First Hope Bank.”
http://njbarnquilts.com/warrencoquilts/schaedelfarmquilt.html
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12

20. Thanks!
There is information about barn quilts and the whole
project, which is coordinated by the New Jersey
Museum of Agriculture, at the website:
http://njbarnquilts.com/home.html
Barn quilts can also be found in
Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and
Sussex Counties. More excuses to drop the top and
take a cruise!
Warren County Quilt Run – 10/06/12