Few People Know The Real Reason Barns In Washington Are Painted Red
By Sherri Adams|Published March 20, 2023
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Sherri Adams
Author
Sherri Adams is a writer, photographer, and travel enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. She has always been passionate about writing and the opportunities for connection through the written word. When she’s not writing, you can often find her at the seashore with her toes in the sand and her nose in a book.
It doesn’t get more Americana than a classic, wood-sided red barn. These stately structures have been an iconic symbol of the rural American landscape since the 18th century. Nevertheless, few people know the real reason barns in Washington are painted red. Read on as we try to separate fact from myth and dig into the history of the red barn.
Early barns were often built and left unpainted due to the high cost of painting an entire barn.
Unfortunately, untreated wood siding succumbed to the elements and farmers were forced to find ways to protect their structures.
Sherri Adams/Sherylanne Photography
Initially, paint was not readily available and farmers turned to rather unconventional methods.
They would mix their own "paint" from a mixture of skim milk, lime, red iron oxide, and linseed oil.
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The result was a paint-like substance that coated the wood siding, dried quickly to a rust-red hard finish, and lasted for years.
Sherri Adams/Sherylanne Photography
Farm workers learned that adding ferrous oxide to the mixture would help repel insects and deter mold growth. It is said that wealthy farmers added blood from recent slaughters to the mixture, turning it to a bright red that would dry to the darker burnt red color we see on barns to this day.
One often-told story about the barn's red history can be easily debunked.
Sherri Adams/Sherylanne Photography
It was once thought that barns were painted bright hues of red so that wayward cows could find their way home. An adorable vision to be sure, but in truth, cows are dichromatic. The bovine eyes only see varying shades of yellow and blue, putting the myth that thoughtful farmers painted their barns as a homing beacon for their cattle to rest.
It's possible that barns continued to be painted red for a very practical reason.
Sherri Adams/Sherylanne Photography
Darker colors are typically warmer, absorbing the sun's rays, and certainly, a darker exterior makes for a warmer interior for livestock and farmhands.
As red paint became more readily available, the tradition of the red barn continued.
There are a few reasons the custom of the red barn is a practice still honored by farmers throughout the state. Some people say it promotes a sense of community. Red barns just make you happy. There's just something so homey and comforting about a red barn standing tall for decades among a golden pasture.
Eventually, whitewashing barns became a common practice but the classic barn red remains the favored hue of farmers.
Sherri Adams/Sherylanne Photography
Did you know the history of Washington’s red barns? Do you prefer red or white barns? Let us know in the comments.
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