In a way, barns provide fossil evidence of New England’s farming heritage. We may drive past several of them on our way home from work without even noticing, and yet it’s hard to imagine the Seacoast without them. They provide a sense of place and a connection to our past as few other local landmarks do.

Many of the historic structures still standing in New Hampshire are no longer used for agricultural purposes and have fallen into various states of disrepair. But there are several organizations dedicated to restoring and preserving these architectural artifacts, both for their cultural significance and their aesthetic value. And many property owners are reusing their barns in new and imaginative ways.

The value of barns is even recognized in state law. New Hampshire RSA 227-C:27, established in1999, reads as follows: “Historic barns and agricultural structures symbolize the distinctive New Hampshire values of heritage, hard work, productivity, and stewardship. They are witnesses to the role of agriculture in our state’s image and its economy, and they serve as scenic landmarks for residents and visitors alike.”

That’s why, leading up to The Wire’s Fourth of July edition, we held a photo contest asking readers to submit pictures of old Seacoast barns. In response, we received an array of magnificent barn photos taken around the region, illustrating the familiar yet often overlooked beauty of these historical icons.

According to Beverly Thomas of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, barns were once central to life on the Seacoast.

“They were very important. That was the center of every farm in New Hampshire, and as we all know, New Hampshire was a farming state,” she said.

But many area barns are now threatened by development pressures and lack of maintenance.

Despite a small farm renaissance in recent years, most Seacoast barns have outlived their original functions and have been left to slowly crumble. Maintaining such large, old structures can be prohibitively expensive.     

“The peak for farming was probably in the late 1800s, and lots of barns that we see today are dated from the second half of the 1800s,” Thomas said. “Now lots of them are falling into disrepair because they are not being used.”

The state offers a number of tax incentives and grant programs encouraging people to preserve their barns. A program that went into effect in 2002 enables the owners of barns and other farm outbuildings at least 75 years old to apply for a preservation easement that offers property tax relief. By agreeing to preserve and maintain their barns for at least 10 years, they become eligible for a 25- to 75-percent reduction in the structure’s assessed value. More than 400 barns have taken advantage of the program.

“It’s a way to keep these icons of our past,” Thomas said. “We want to save these barns.”

The oldest barns on the Seacoast are English-style structures dating all the way back to the late 18th century. English barns were once found on family farms throughout the Northeast, used primarily for subsistence farming. 

But area barns began to undergo a transformation in the mid 1800s, as larger-scale dairy operatios became more prevalent in the region. The wood-framed buildings needed to store much more livestock and equipment than before. Barns got bigger, their doorways got wider, and many added cupolas for light and ventilation. Most of the old barns that still stand today are in this “Yankee” style.

“The iconic red barns with the cupolas on top are really late-1800s barns, and that’s the height of the dairy industry,” Thomas said.

A handful of barns are now included in the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places, including the Goss Farm Barn in Rye. Located on Harbor Road, it’s a perfect example of an English-style barn, circa 1800, that was later converted into a Yankee-style barn, echoing the shift in New Hampshire’s farming traditions.

But, like many other historic barns in the region, the Goss Farm Barn requires expensive upgrades for preservation. The town purchased the entire farm property in 2010, with hopes of turning part of it into a community garden. Part of the property is also used by middle school students to grow food for their cafeteria.

But an inspection of the barn revealed some wooden beams were rotting and the roof needed to be replaced. The Rye Conservation Commission hoped to get that work done in the spring, but cost estimates came in much higher than expected. They are now fundraising with the goal of replacing the roof this fall.

According to Commission member Sally King, the property has historical significance, as it was one of the few saltwater farms on the Seacoast. The building is visually striking, too, with its large, white frame and green doors.

“It’s actually a beautiful old English barn that was converted into a Yankee barn at a later date,” King said. “It’s a great structure. It’s your classic, beautiful barn.”

The prospect of restoring old barns can be daunting for property owners who no longer use them, especially in times of economic strife. The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance advises people on how to preserve their barns as economically as possible. The key, Thomas said, is doing the work in stages instead of all at once. But if a building deteriorates to the point that the roof collapses, it might be too late.

“Once the roof goes, unfortunately, that’s the beginning of the end,” Thomas said.

Chet Riley, of Hampton, has been helping people restore their barns for the last 20 years. The toughest part, he said, is often just getting started.

“People really don’t know where to begin. It’s such an overwhelming thing,” he said.

There are a few basic steps for maintaining old barn buildings, Riley said. The most important labor includes cleaning them out, making sure the roof doesn’t leak and the foundation is stable, and ensuring proper drainage to keep water out. If those steps are followed, the wood structure itself will stand for decades.

“It’s as simple as that sometimes, just giving people a place to start,” Riley said. “The rest of a barn will stay there for 50 years.”

Riley’s own property has a barn that’s more than 230 years old (the earliest records he’s found date to 1780). Despite ongoing development pressure on the Seacoast, he and many other residents have opted not to give up their barns.

“We do lose them, of course, now and again, but we try one-on-one to save what we can,” Riley said. “Fortunately, a lot of the people in town have not destroyed them, so far.”

Some locals have found new ways to use their barns that don’t necessarily involve farming. Old barn buildings have been converted into museums, libraries, art studios, book stores, antique shops and storage spaces.

“What we love to see is reuse of barns, because a barn is better maintained if it’s used,” Thomas said. “It’s wonderful to see the barns being put back to use.”

Her hope is that these structures will remain standing not only as historic symbols, but as active components of our community. With proper preservation, future generations of Granite Staters will be raised near a barn, if not in one.