This week’s Back Roads is the work of The Land Correspondent Tim King. Photos by Jan King. Barn (or not) quilts

from The Land - April 14, 2023

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As of last summer there were 130 barn quilts on the central Minnesota barn quilt trail.

Lisa Kajer, one of the trails founders, told Lakeland Public Television last summer that might be good enough for a one county trail; but it is not good enough for a four county trail.

The central Minnesota trail is in Todd, Wadena, Morrison and Cass counties. It’s divided into five sub-trails including the Staples area, Motley area, South (Browerville and Long Prairie), Southwest (Eagle Bend, Bertha, Wadena), and Northwest (Sebeka, Verndale, Aldrich).

The quilts are on barns and farm outbuildings throughout these trails; but they are also in parks, on homes and churches, businesses, and even a fire department. In Staples, you’ll find two four-by-four-foot quilts at the Amtrak depot, which also houses the Staples - Motley Area Chamber of Commerce and the Staples Historical Society. The two quilts are named “Prosperity” and “Railroad Crossing.”

The depot is a good place to start your tour of any part of the trail since you can find a brochure with a map locating the quilts inside.

We visited a section of the Staples area trail which is in the downtown area. The community has warmly embraced the project and there are colorful quilts everywhere. Just across the street from the depot is a red, white and blue quilt called “Peace and Plenty” — proudly mounted on the First International Bank and Trust. “Broken Star” is a colorful 4 x 4 quilt mounted on the outside wall of Step On In Thrift Store not far from the bank.

Although barn quilts in rural areas are often best viewed from an automobile window, we think a quilt tour of downtown Staples is best done on foot. So, we walked down Fourth Street, passing Tower Pizza’s pizza themed quilt, looking for “Pinwheel Around the World,” located at the Staples World newspaper. Created by StaplesMotley Area Schools art instructor Jill Schneider, this remarkable work of art won an award at the Minnesota State High School League art show.

Directly across the street from the World is a quilt named “A Cup Shared with Friends.” This quilt’s unique design was created by Jill Schneider’s art students, as were other quilts on the trail. It’s hosted by the Stomping Grounds Coffee Shop. Within a short walk from there are the Methodist and Congregationalist churches. Both host lovely quilts. And there are more!

This wealth of color and design was created from a wide range of individual artists as well as FFA and art students. You can learn more, and see pictures, at https://barnquiltsmn.org. You’ll find a map there, also. v