Old Mission Peninsula Quilt Barn Trail

The beautiful autumn weather we have continued to enjoy in Michigan provided an opportunity for a fall color tour.  It is past prime viewing season for the changing colors of leaves, in fact most leaves have already fallen to the ground.  The tour we will take today covers the bountiful colors that can be found following the Quilt Barn Trail on Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City.  There are currently 14 private farms that prominently display a painted quilt block on the side of their barn.   Since these quilt blocks are on private farms, I was not able to get close enough to photograph them all but have a dozen to share with you.

Our first stop features a barn with a Maple Leaf pattern

to represent the stately maples that once lined some of the roads on Old Mission Peninsula.

This barn dates to 1904.  The quilt block highlights the sun, water and rolling fields of the peninsula.

The owners of this barn pioneered contour plowing.

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A sign in front of this charming barn proudly displays the name "Bewitched Farm".

The owner was born on Halloween and the quilt block keeps with that theme.

The owners of this barn also own one of the local vineyards.

The quilt square reflects the starlings that fly over the vineyard each fall.

The Nine-Patch block symbolizes faith, citizenship, heritage and farm life.

The barn dates to 1912.

This small barn featuring a Crazy Quilt block almost looks like a play house for a child.

Note the cherries painted on the window boxes.  

The Celtic Cross honors the family ancestors who originally farmed in Ireland and Scotland.

The Chown barn was built in 1870 and features a modified Bear Paw block.

The pattern was reproduced from a quilt made by the owner's great-grandmother and her sister-in-law.

A Le Moyne Star is featured on this 1909 barn.

A windmill pattern quilt block is featured on this 1880 barn.

The center motif honors the farm's primary crop -- cherries.

The wood for this barn was harvested from farm property over 100 years ago.

The rocks for the foundation were also gathered from the farm's fields.

The quilt pattern features an arrowhead design.

Our final stop is a barn erected in 1910 that now houses an antique shop.

The quilt block features tulips.

You noticed several references to cherries in the quilt blocks.  The first cherry orchard was planted on Old Mission Peninsula in 1852.  Today Michigan produces 70-75% of the tart cherries grown in the United States.  Most of the 3.8 million tart cherry trees are in the Traverse City area.  Michigan's sweet cherry production is also concentrated near Traverse City.

I hope you enjoyed the tour.  You may have a similar quilt barn trail close to your home.  For more information on locations in your state, check the map prepared by Barn Quilt Trails across America.


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