Kankakee County, Illinois, is being covered with barn quilts! Starting fall of 2008, visitors to Kankakee County, Illinois began seeing decorative quilt blocks on historic barns and corncribs around the county. This county-wide project continues to showcase our rural heritage this summer 2009 with more quilt blocks!

Take a self-guided tour of twenty well preserved barns adorned with a beautifully hand painted classic quilt block. Ten were placed in 2008 and ten more were added by mid September 2009. Quilt blocks remain in place year round so you can always find a convenient time to visit.

The Kankakee County Barn Quilt Committee made up of a talented community-based group of Kankakee County visual artists, quilters, interested residents and area organizations guided the project from the beginning. Area organizations involved include: University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County; Kankakee Quiltmakers; and Kankakee County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Locations, photos, quilt block information, barn/farm/family history and interesting facts about each of the barns on this self-guided tour are available on this website and by contacting University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County online or by phone at (815) 933-8337.

Don't miss! Barn Quilts of Kankakee County Movie - Fall 2009, skillfully created by Clayton A. and Carolyn Splear Pratt, can be viewed on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUhUqE42x80. A video highlighting the two Barn Quilts designed and painted by Pal Alcorn's homeschoolers can also be viewed on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYgfTbCyKUQ. For those who love the beauty of winter, enjoy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I5NK3DFApA. Many thanks to the Pratts for their dedication to the Barn Quilt Project.

Ken Kashian Galleries, Illinois Farm Bureau Photograper, also has a nice gallery dedicated to Barn Quilts of Kankakee County. View his site at: http://web.mac.com/kenkashian/KashianSite/Home.html. Many thanks to the Illinois Farm Bureau for their interest in promoting this project throughout the State of Illinois.

Interested barn owners or volunteers are encouraged to contact Holly Froning by email at: froning@illinois.edu or by phone at University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County, (815) 933-8337. Deadline for applications for 2010 Barn Quilts is March 1, 2010.

Please take the time to learn more about Barn Quilts of Kankakee County.