Drive along with me on a windy country road. Polling Station Road in Harwood, Maryland offers views of a variety of country barns. Most of them from a past era of tobacco farming in southern Maryland and stand in the landscape of brilliant green corn fields and golden hues of wheat. Some of them are beautiful dressed in barn red.
While others are rejoicing in their natural weathered tone.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Tobacco barns in southern Maryland one of the 11 most Endangered Historic Places in the country. In 2001, Maryland offered a buyout program to Tobacco farmers to discontinue growing tobacco. Since that time, these barns have become neglected and the passage of time is beginning to reclaim these relics. A conservation program was created after 2004 to help preserve these barns.
Tobacco barns are built differently than other barns. They are compartmentalized and built to hold weight while farming barns are built for holding large equipment under shelter.
It is hard to pick a favorite out of all the barns from this morning. Would love to know which one is yours. Bella
Categories: travel
Emily Carter ~ Nature as Art 
Big fan of barns and these are great!
Thank you so much Victor !
I just love barns, Emily…so glad these are in line to be preserved!!
Can you believe what bonanza I found only on one road?
Oops, just called you Emily….meant Bella
You know I answer to both! I’ll probably fade out the Bella Remy name with time. Who knows…??
I never knew there were two types of barns until you mentioned here 🙂 there’s something about the barns being reclaimed by the land 🙂
Amazingly, there are more than two types. I couldn’t even list all the different structures designed for different usages. Cow barns, horse barns, corn barns, etc, etc. 🙂
Wonder how farmers don’t get confused on the types lol 🙂
Oh, these are so beautiful! I just love barn pictures; somehow they just transport me to a different time…
I agree Denise, and love your comment. I just never think about how barns affect me, I just feel them. 🙂
Terrific scenes Em!
Now you have given me an idea,I really should try to get off the beach someday and check out some of the old tobacco barns here in SC.
Oh you should Phil! There is so much tobacco history in your area. Would love to hear about it.
You live in “barn country!” Everyone of these photos is an iconic memory of the legacy that has been passed down through generations.Beautiful Emily.
Indeed, compared to you being such a city mouse, this country mouse is always happy to share my scenery with you.
I love your barn photos, and have been missing them lately, you capture them so well!
I’ve been thinking about barns and how I haven’t gone out and captured them also. And BAM! There they are..so I took lots of pictures to make up for it. 🙂
Lovely pictures! I’ve always had irrational fantasies of sleeping over in abandoned barns and cottages whilst traveling as a wandering scholar. My favorite would be 2075 – quite a fan of the painterly look.
Now that sounds like a wonderful idea. Think about all those old westerns where wayward travelers would stay in a barn. Thank you so much for your photo feedback. I love to hear what people like.
I love old barns. The one with the ivy growing on the silo is amazing.
Isn’t it fascinating how nature retakes it’s land?