Franklin County Quilt Barn Blocks
Driving Tour / Quilt Barn Blocks
Franklin County Convention & Visitors Bureau
2011 East Logan, Ottawa, Kansas
785-242-1411
Spend a day touring beautiful Franklin County & seeing lots of colorful quilt blocks on your trip! Located on barns throughout the county, these blocks reflect our quilting heritage, plus give visitors the opportunity to see ranches, crops & livestock so essential to our agricultural way of life. Our farming & ranching roots are showcased all along the route, which is easily toured by car. While driving through the county, differences in topography, plants & water availability can be noted, giving an up-close perspective of Franklin County that many travellers wouldn’t otherwise notice.
Participating landowners realize the importance of telling their stories about agriculture & history right on the farm where it all happens. Farming has become a highly developed occupation requiring education, dedication, skill and specialized equipment; 24 hours a day, seven day a week, 52 weeks a year is the schedule that farmers and ranchers keep to provided the essential commodities we all depend on. Seeing the barns, livestock and equipment at each farm, plus noting how crops & activities change as the seasons turn can give a fresh perspective on farm life & its value to the world economy.
Every barn on the tour has a different quilt block; the patterns and colors were chosen by the landowners themselves. For example, the “Double Windmill” block, (one of three blocks on east Rock Creek Rd.) was chosen by the current owner to honor her deceased parents, the property’s original owners. They were a very devoted couple who also loved their John Deere equipment, so the interlocking or Double Windmill blades were painted in “official” green & yellow. Another barn features the “Corn & Beans” block, the main crops produced there. Several are more personal, such as the “McIntosh Star” showcasing an apple at the Pome on the Range Orchard . An explanation of all the blocks, information about the farms, barns and agriculture of the area, plus directions for the self-guided tour, are listed in a brochure available at the Franklin County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
There are other barns with quilt blocks on them throughout Kansas, but we believe this to be the first organized county-wide project in the state of Kansas. Many other states in the nation have very successful programs and block tours, some with hundreds of barn/blocks! We’re certainly hoping that other Kansas counties will follow our lead in developing their own block tours, creating a real travel opportunity for Kansas natives & visitors alike!
Stop in for complete information at the Franklin County Visitors Information Center, 2011 E. Logan, Ottawa, Kansas 66067
or visit their website: www.visitottawakansas.com
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