Re: Red Barns

["JoAnn K." <jklassen@OREDNET.ORG>]

The question about why barns were painted red facinated me so I decided to
ask a "rancher" friend that I had met in Wyoming.  They (Leo with friends
and family) discussed it and sent me these replies(not much else to talk
about in Wyoming anyway).! :)

"Leo says you would use the "cheap" paint (which in those days was red) on
your barn and the good paint on you house.  Also, most painted furniture
was painted with milk paint since you could make it yourself."  from Leo's
wife.

"Leo and I remember there was whitewash. The only other thing was to add
red lead which we used to paint the barn. Didn"t like it in or on the
house." from Leo's friend.

I've included the information from two previous messages, just in case
you'd like to see what led to this.

>"Subject: Color of Barns
>Dear friends,
>I hope one of you will come to my rescue!  A parent wants to know why barns
>are painted red.  I have not been able to find the answer----so, I'm counting
>on you."
>
>This is an answer that someone came up with...
>
>"Subject: Re: Why barns are red
>
>See: http://www.uvm.edu/~vhnet/hpres/publ/barnb/bbtip7.html
>"The traditional red and ochre paints found on many barns became widely
>available in Vermont by about 1850. Made with locally produced iron oxide
>earth pigments and linseed oil, the paints were relatively inexpensive, and
>it became fashionable on farms throughout the region to have a red barn
>contrasting with the white farmhouse. At the end of the century, shingled
>barns stained dark green or brown became fashionable on gentlemen's farms.
>In the twentieth century, red, white, and yellow have been the colors of
>choice of most farmers, often with
>the trim in a different color."

JoAnn Klassen
School Library Technology Specialist
Cedaroak Park School (K-5)
West Linn, OR 97068-0100

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