Founded in 1997, the Iowa Barn Foundation is dedicated to preserving Iowa’s rural buildings, symbols of Iowa’s early agricultural heritage. The Iowa Barn Foundation is an Iowa non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status under paragraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
The Iowa Barn Foundation, its board of directors and county representatives work to preserve Iowa’s agricultural history and endangered barns by educating people in Iowa – and beyond – about our rural heritage and the importance of barn preservation. This is being accomplished through the bi-annual Iowa Barn Foundation Magazine, the Iowa Barn Foundation website (this website), the annual All-State Barn Tour, and through picnics, open meetings, and through worldwide publicity in newspapers, magazines, and television.
We provide matching grants to property owners to help restore qualified barns. We also recognize barn owners who rehabilitate their barns at their own expense with our Award of Distinction and Preservation Award programs.
Have questions? Please scroll down to see list of county representatives for a contact in your area.
Board of Directors
- Ober Anderson (Ankeny, Iowa)
- Dave Austin (Ankeny, Iowa)
- Jim Boeding (Decorah, Iowa)
- Olivia Chalfant (Guthrie Center, Iowa)
- Wayne Frost (Waterloo, Iowa)
- Tom Hertz (Ames, Iowa)
- Dwight Hughes (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
- Carrie Jones (Ocheyedon, Iowa)
- Paul Kruse (Granger, Iowa)
- Steve Lawler (Urbandale, Iowa)
- Brad Marek (Riverside, Iowa)
- Kurt Meyer (St. Ansgar, Iowa)
- Laura Morine (Lamont, Iowa)
- Craig Pfantz (State Center, Iowa)
- Sue Robinson (Mechanicsville, Iowa)
- Jack Smith (Epworth, Iowa)
- Craig Stephens (Pleasantville, Iowa)
- Steve Sukup (Clear Lake, Iowa)
- Kevin Tobin (Ames, Iowa)
County Representatives
County representatives promote the preservation of barns in their area through Iowa Barn Foundation programs and membership. Key responsibilities include actively responding to inquiries by phone/email, assisting with barn tour organization/promotion, and providing in-person visits to barns to assist with grant/award programs. We are actively seeking volunteers for several counties who are passionate about barns and enjoy helping others. If interested in volunteering, please contact our county representative coordinator, Wayne Frost (319-427-3531 or frostwf@lpctel.net).
County Representatives
Adair: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Adams: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Allamakee: Jim Palmer, 563-419-1736, jim.siebrechtag@gmail.com,
Allamakee: Marlene Fenstermann, 563-382-3439, dwf02@fenstermann.de
Appanoose: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Audubon: Bob & Janet Nelson, 712-304-5809, save.ross.elevator@gmail.com & beccaben7@gmail.com,
Benton: Wayne Frost, 319-427-3531, frostwf@lpctel.net, Seeking Volunteer(s)
Black Hawk: Mark Halvorsen, 319-939-8114, mark.a.halvorsen@gmail.com,
Boone: Steve Rimathe, 515-290-5258, srimathe89@gmail.com
Bremer: Wayne Frost, 319-427-3531, frostwf@lpctel.net, Seeking Volunteer(s)
Buchanan: Laura Morine, 563-920-6504, lmorine4568@gmail.com
Buena Vista: Becky Bryant, 712-213-0598, bbryant@evertek.net
Butler: Wayne Frost, 319-427-3531, frostwf@lpctel.net, Seeking Volunteer(s)
Calhoun: Larry Ellis , 712-210-0423, redrockarabians@gmail.com
Calhoun: Deann Haden, 515-571-7196, bradluke@lvcta.com
Carroll: Kent Brant, 712-830-2241, kbrant42@hotmail.com
Cass: Sindra & Emery Lensch, 712-774-2569, daisycat369@hotmail.com
Cedar: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Cerro Gordo: Dale & Judy Mills, 641-420-9227, cupolainn@gmail.com
Cherokee: Becky Bryant, 712-213-0598, bbryant@evertek.net
Chickasaw: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Clarke: Ginnie Hargis & Ron McBroom, 515-834-2026, cabot1@hughes.net
Clay: Kelli Ireland, 507-320-0542, kellbell45@yahoo.com
Clayton: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Clinton: Travis Mueller, 563-506-9285, bigtravesty@gmail.com
Crawford: Don Poggensee, 712-369-3454, donpoggensee@gmail.com, Seeking Volunteer(s)
Dallas: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Davis: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Decatur: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Delaware: John Heffernen, 563-920-5826, Johnheffernen@gmail.com
Des Moines: Jeffery Taeger, 319-759-5722, jataeger@icloud.com
Dickinson: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Dubuque: Jack Smith, 563-599-3061, jackwsmith@icloud.com
Emmet: Terrence Jensen, 515-230-8972, tcjensen52@gmail.com
Fayette: Laura Morine, 563-920-6504, lmorine4568@gmail.com
Floyd: Barbara Brown, 641-756-3552, brownb@myomnitel.com
Franklin: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Freemont: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Greene: Mary Richards, 515-386-4750, mrichards@netins.net
Grundy: Nile Dielschneider, 641-485-3477, nkdiel@heartofiowa.net
Guthrie: Kent Brant, 712-830-2241, kbrant42@hotmail.com
Hamilton: Ron Adams, 515-368-1678, ronadams144@gmail.com
Hancock: Thomas Chizek, 641-430-4456, chizeklandandcattle56@gmail.com
Hardin: Stephen Kahl, 972-467-2354, stephen.kahl1942@gmail.com
Harrison: Anna Brantz-Buckingham, 402-651-7018, annambuckingham@gmail.com
Henry: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Howard: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Humboldt: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Ida: Don Poggensee, 712-369-3454, donpoggensee@gmail.com
Iowa: Bonnie Winslow-Garvin, (319) 360-4832, bwinslow@southslope.net
Jackson: Caroline Bredekamp, h)563-689-4970 c)563-689-3581, caroline.bredekamp@yahoo.com
Jasper: Tyler Wilhelm, 402-525-1833, wilhelmacres@gmail.com
Jefferson: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Johnson: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Jones: David McDonald, 319-389-4437, fogebotom@yahoo.com
Keokuk: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Kossuth: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Lee: Brian Foecke, 319-470-0329, bjfoecke@ft.newyorklife.com
Linn: David McDonald, 319-389-4437, clydesiowa@yahoo.com
Louisa: Travis Mueller, 563-506-9285, bigtravesty@gmail.com
Lucas: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Lyon: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Madison: Ginnie Hargis & Ron McBroom, 515-834-2026, cabot1@hughes.net
Mahaska: Charles Oldham, 641-969-4272, oakknoll@iowatelecom.net
Marion: Craig & Shiela Stephens, 515-681-1009, cdstephens@fngi.net
Marshall: Rod & Kristi Hassler, 641-750-4946 (c) 641-753-3276, rhassler@mchsi.com kcasper@mchsi.com,
Mills: Anna Brantz-Buckingham, 402-651-7018, annambuckingham@gmail.com
Mitchell: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Monona: Peggy & Richard Hanner, 712-251-0405, peggy.hanner@outlook.com
Monroe: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Montgomery: Montgomery County Historical Society, 712-623-2289, mchsociet@myfmtc.com
Muscatine: Kas Kelly, 563-260-0869, kaskelly@machlink.com
O’Brien: Joe Ascherl, 712-212-4247, donnajoeascherl@gmail.com
Osceola: Carrie Jones , 712-832-3227, carrie@joneslawofficeplc.com
Page: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Palo Alto: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Plymouth: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Pocahontas: Terry Ferguson, 712-845-4978, ctferguson@ncn.net
Polk: Ober Anderson, 515-964-0964, ojanderson@aol.com
Pottawattamie: Anna Brantz-Buckingham, 402-651-7018, annambuckingham@gmail.com
Poweshiek: Bonnie Winslow-Garvin, (319) 360-4832, bwinslow@southslope.net
Ringgold: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Sac: Jack & Jane Hogue, 712-668-4663, jhogue@netins.net
Scott: Travis Mueller, 563-506-9285, bigtravesty@gmail.com
Scott: Susan Frye, 319-936-1216, susanjanefrye@gmail.com
Shelby: Dennis & Linda Heflin, 712-579-1943, jewelray@fmctc.com
Sioux: Ron & Nancy Vos, 712-203-8703, nvos72@yahoo.com
Story: Steve Rimathe, 515-290-5258, srimathe89@gmail.com
Tama: Rod & Kristi Hassler, 641-750-4946 (c) 641-753-3276, rhassler@mchsi.com kcasper@mchsi.com,
Taylor: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Union: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Van Buren: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Wapello: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Warren: Craig & Shiela Stephens, 515-681-1009, cdstephens@fngi.net
Washington: Brad Marek, 319-430-1077, bmarek@msn.com
Wayne: Seeking Volunteer(s)
Webster: Deann Haden, 515-571-7196, bradluke@lvcta.com
Winnebago: Marla Betz, 641-590-3513, huskylovr80@hotmail.com
Winneshiek: Jim Palmer, 563-419-1736, jim.siebrechtag@gmail.com
Winneshiek: Marlene Fenstermann, 563-382-3439, dwf02@fenstermann.de
Woodbury: Peggy & Richard Hanner, 712-251-0405, peggy.hanner@outlook.com
Worth: Marla Betz, 641-590-3513, huskylovr80@hotmail.com
Wright: Seeking Volunteer(s)