Ashe County’s Barn Quilt Tours

The history of the barn quilt begins about 300 years ago with the arrival of immigrants from the Rhine region of Germany. They came for religious freedom. These groups included Amish, Mennonites, Lutherans and other Reform groups.       

The quilt is a symbol of comfort and family. Barns are symbol of our heritage and community. What would be better than combining the two and creating a visual image of who we are and where we come from? In addition to honoring the area’s heritage, the project has increased tourism, drawing visitors deeper into this once easily overlooked corner of the North Carolina.

As you travel the roads of Ashe County NC be on the lookout for one of the many quilt block paintings that grace the walls of barns around the county. Ashe County Arts Council leads the project by matching barn owners with local artists while coordinating the painting and mounting the block paintings on barn walls. The project has become so well-liked that individual barn owners have taken on the challenge of creating the quilts themselves. There are many unique and colorful barn paintings to enjoy and new ones created monthly, adding a nice addition to our highways and byways in Ashe County. 

Today barn quilts have become popular with more and more becoming visible.  While on your barn quilt tour you will see some the most beautiful North Carolina Real Estate in the state. If you are not a resident of Ashe County you may very well wish to become one.  A1 Mountain Realty can help you find and purchase that first or second home, that North Carolina mountain getaway, or any Ashe County land for sale.

Thanks to the Ashe County Arts Council for the The Ashe County Barn Quilt Project. The Barn Quilt committee has divided the county into six "loop trails" featuring a majority of 150 barn quilts.The next tours will be Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13 from 10am-12pm. Vans depart at 10am from the Ashe Arts Center. You will  enjoy the scenic beauty of the mountains, learn about the history of our county and see barn quilts all along the way. Cost is $15 adults and $10 for children under 12. Reservations are required and special tours can be made available at any time for groups of 8 or more. The loop trails are written instructions with mileage, landmarks and road names to help the barn quilt "hunter" to find as many barn quilts as possible. Click HERE  for the driving instructions for each of the trails.

Blue Loop      Trail (features 10 barn quilts) 
Green Loop    Trail (features 18 barn quilts)
Orange Loop  Trail (features 14 barn quilts)
Purple Loop   Trail (features 7 barn quilts)
Red Loop       Trail (features 13 barn quilts)
Yellow Loop   Trail (features 12 barn quilts)

If you are searching for long range mountain views in Western North Carolina Real Estate, search our listings first!  We have homes for sale and mountain farm land in NC.  The High Country is a special place and a place where the real estate market is really picking up, yet loan rates are still at some of the lowest rates that they have ever been. Think about making a wise investment in real estate! Come by A1 Mountain Realty and let us help you find that Ashe County NC property. Feel free to call our office 336-846-4900 or visit our website www.a1mountainrealty.com and take a look at all our listings.

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