Barn Preservation Initiative

The King County Historic Preservation Program, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and Preservation 4Culture worked together for over a year on a multi-faceted barn preservation initiative.

Progress was made at both the local and state level, establishing new funds and other resources to support preservation of these beloved rural agricultural buildings. These are some of the Barn Preservation Initiative's accomplishments and remaining goals.

King County Heritage Barn Preservation Program Established; First Grants Announced - New Funds Available

A small grant program for King County barn owners, aimed at stabilizing and restoring historic barns and other agricultural buildings, was created in 2007. Over 30 applications were received from property owners throughout King County, requesting over $500,000 in rehabilitation funding. The first round of awards from this program, 11 grants totaling $75,000, are being administered through Preservation 4Culture.

Thanks to the support of the King County Council, additional funding in the amount of $100,000 for another round of barn preservation grants was included in the 2008 King County Budget. This year the grant program will be run by the King County Historic Preservation Program.

The deadline for the upcoming grant cycle is March 31, 2008. For more information, contact Todd Scott at (206) 296-8636, or via email at todd.scott@kingcounty.gov.

Statewide Heritage Barn Preservation Bill Signed by Governor Gregoire

In 2007, the Washington Legislature gave a major boost to barn preservation efforts throughout the state by passing SHB 2115, the Heritage Barn Preservation Bill.

This bill creates a Heritage Barn Register, establishes a statewide Barn Preservation Grant Program, and brings together experts from around the state to form a Barn Advisory Committee to look at how land use regulations and tax incentives can support barn preservation.

To be eligible for listing in the Washington Heritage Barn Register, a prerequisite for applying for state grants, a barn must be over 50 years old and retain a significant degree of historic integrity. Owners interested in seeking designation for their historic barns are asked to complete a nomination form and provide basic information about the property. For information about the Heritage Barn Register program, contact: Michael Houser, State Architectural Historian at (360) 586-3076 or Michael.Houser@dahp.wa.gov.

To apply for a Heritage Barn Grant, contact the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. Contact Chris Moore at (206) 624-9449 or via email at cmoore@wa-trust.org for more information about grant cycles.