‘Barn Quilt Guy’ to present history at Monticello library

     Danny Steiber, of Waverly, has come to be known as “The Barn Quilt Guy” throughout Iowa.

     On Thursday, Sept. 7, Steiber will share his love and the history of Iowa barn quilts at the Monticello Public Library. The program starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public.

     Over the past two years, Steiber has given his program 89 times throughout Iowa, reaching almost 4,000 people.

     “God wants me to share,” he said.

     Steiber’s presentation, which lasts about an hour, not only talks about the colorful, unique barn quilts people see throughout rural Iowa, but highlights how the craze even began in Iowa. In the 1800s, farmers used certain quilt patterns to display on their barns to let the slaves during the Underground Railroad movement know whether they were a safe haven or not. Through this part of local history, 15 different quilt patterns were created as a way to send messages to slaves in their quest for freedom.

     The recent barn quilt movement actually started in 2001 in Adams County, Ohio, located in the southern part of the state. Steiber said the daughter of the owner of a farm there felt her parents needed to freshen up their barn with a new coat of paint or a colorful image.

     “She wanted to lighten the looks of the barn,” said Steiber.

     So, the family hung an 8-by-8-foot quilt pattern on their barn. This then spread to other farms in other counties in Ohio.

     Grundy County in central Iowa was the first county here to start the barn quilt craze in 2003.

     There are now barn quilts in 42 of the 50 states.

     Steiber, who started this project in 2013, said very few people know the connection between barn quilts and the Underground Railroad.

     “About 40 percent of the barn quilt patterns out there are actual quilt patterns that grandmothers and great grandmothers used to do,” explained Steiber. “You see duplicates of barn quilts all over the country.

     “You also see many of the 15 Underground Railroad patterns,” he added.

     One of those patterns is known as “Log Cabin.” Steiber said if slaves saw this block-type pattern with a back square in the center, they knew they were welcome to hide out.

     His program in Monticello will feature 348 photos of barn quilts from Blackhawk, Bremer, Butler, Grundy, and Wright counties in Iowa, and the City of Kalona.

     For barn quilt enthusiasts, Steiber said all 102 Iowa barn quilts from all 99 counties (some counties have more than one design) are adorned on the exterior of the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

     In 2009, Iowa State University Extension offices throughout the state took it upon themselves to seek out quality patterns to represent their county. The winning designs were constructed out of tile and placed on the brick exterior of the Jacobson Center. This project incorporates Iowa’s heritage and tradition of barn quilts.

     “It has really been a joy to go to the places I’ve been to tell this story,” shared Steiber.

     For more information, visit the Monticello’s library’s Facebook page: “Monticello Public Library - Ross & Elizabeth Baty” or call the library at 319-465-3354.