When you drive down one of the area’s many country roads, you’ll most likely come across a barn or two that has seen better days. And while some folks might consider these skeletal building remains an eyesore, Cincinnati-based artist Robert Kroeger sees so much more. According to Bill Eichelberger of the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Kroeger, “sees past the decay and delves into a barn’s stories, its history, its former utility — glory even. He sees immigrant families making their way in a new world, he sees a burgeoning country being fed, he hears the echoes of a fading way of life.”
Kroeger explained, “I try to capture a barn and its story before they’re gone,” Kroeger said. “I like stories that illustrate the lives of these hardy pioneers.” This passion set Kroeger, a retired dentist, to paint barns from all 88 counties in Ohio, to capture what he sees as a part of Ohio history that is vanishing due to age and decay.
That goal was realized in his first book on the subject titled, Historic Barns of Ohio, was published in 2021. Kroeger began working on a new project, and Round Barns of America was published shortly after in 2022. His latest book, Stone Barns of America, was released this month by The History Press/Arcadia. All three books, as well as Kroeger’s barn paintings, go into fundraisers for historical societies throughout Ohio and Indiana.
If you’ve ever spotted an old barn and wondered how it may have looked in its heyday, who built it, and what their lives might have been like, you won’t want to miss an upcoming event in Shalersville. For local barn lovers and history buffs, you’ll have the opportunity to see some of the paintings and hear the accompanying stories from Kroeger’s latest book at a special event to benefit the Shalersville Historical Society on Friday, September 19th from 6 – 7:30 pm.
According to Kroeger, stone barns – as defined by having all four walls in stone – are rare and represent far less than one percent of all barns built. This is the first national book on stone barns and, because the project was so large, the publisher split it into two volumes. This recently released book documents 46 barns in 20 states east of the Mississippi; three barns are National Landmarks and 30 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the book, Kroeger shares stories that illustrate life in early America, ranging from times of the American Revolution to the Great Depression of the 1930s. The book contains a variety of stories of historic structures around the country. Just a sampling include a stone barn complex built by the Vanderbilts in Vermont, and another in Pennsylvania where the owner saved the Liberty Bell from advancing British troops. Another barn was built by a farmer in Georgia after “night riders” burned his wooden barns down. A stone barn in Michigan was owned by the president of Sears and Roebuck in the early 1900s and involved the “the trial of the century” (featuring Clarence Darrow), eventually being restored to its former glory with an investment of $18 million. Kroeger will share some of his favorite stories from his most recent book at the Shalersville event.
Greg Huber, noted barn scholar, wrote the foreword, “Kroeger’s legacy stands as a profound tribute to these rural icons.” Eichelberger commends Kroeger as, “an artist, historian, preservationist and storyteller. Those of us enthralled by the past are lucky to have him.”
This latest book, as well as Kroeger’s other works, are printed in the USA and available through the publisher directly or via Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Copies will also be available at the event; Dr. Kroeger will be available to sign books at the event in Shalersville, as well.
In addition, some of Kroeger’s paintings are on display, with books for sale at the R44 Butcher and Baker Shoppe in Mantua. As with the event on September 19th, all proceeds and donations will benefit the Shalersville Historical Society.
For more information, visit https://www.robertkroeger.com/event/216262/shalersville-historical-society
