The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council is hosting a Barn Fest event Nov. 8-9 in Lecompton where participants will learn about the preservation of historic barns in Douglas County. The event aims to highlight the beauty and stories held within the historic farmsteads of Douglas County and connect and convene property owners, students, contractors and enthusiasts interested in preservation of these places and stories.

Barn Fest will begin with an all-day workshop on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Lecompton Community Pride Building, 620 E. Woodson Ave., in Lecompton, featuring speaker sessions that highlight steps to barn preservation, an introduction to rural architecture, and a dive into the full lifecycle of barns in the region.

The Friday, Nov. 8, schedule:

• 9 a.m. – Registration and check-in
• 9:30 a.m. – Opening remarks
• 10 a.m. – Barns 101: An introduction to rural architecture and historic resources in Northeast Kansas
• 11:15 a.m. – The Lifecyle of a Barn: Bald Eagle Barn Wood
• 12:30 p.m. – Lunch and a self-guided tour of Lecompton
• 1:30 p.m. – Historic preservation resources
• 3:45-5 p.m. – Optional tour of the Territorial Capital Museum

On Saturday, Nov. 9, there will be a guided tour of historic barns and structures in Douglas County. Participants can drive on their own or meet at 9 a.m. at the Lecompton Community Pride Building to carpool. The tour will include Winter School, Grover Barn, McQuillian Farmstead, Sowers/Crawford Farmstead and Elmwood Farm Barn, and it is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. There is an optional Bald Eagle Barn Wood tour and open house from 3:45 to 5 p.m.

The event is free to attend; however, spots are limited. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. It is being funded in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant from the Kansas Historical Society.

“The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council has been excited to create an event which celebrates our beautiful historic barns of Douglas County,” HCC member Amy Van de Riet said. "We are so happy to organize this event in an effort to preserve and honor our rural architecture and history."

For more information and to register, visit https://dgcoks.gov/hcc.