Historic Barn Talk at The Piggery

Bob Kroeger will regale stories of his travels documenting barns across the state and nation at the historic Piggery in Barberton.
About this Event

This event will raise funds for the Summit County Historical Society, a group that maintains a famous stone mansion, the home of Akron and Summit County’s founding family, the Perkins - as well as the house and barn of John Brown, who tended a flock of Merino sheep here. Yes, that John Brown. It's worth a visit, close to downtown Akron, and easy to find. The event's location will be held in a special place this year - in an old barn. Should be fun!

Barberton Historical Society will be hosting this event in one of their impressive barns - the Piggery. Don't worry; it's immaculate! O.C. Barberton built this incredible barn complex over a century ago and, thanks to the efforts of college students back in the 1970s (who founded the historical society), many of the barns have been preserved, including this one. I wrote an article about this farmstead, which was published in Ohio Farmer (over 20,000 views in the first week) and then reprinted in American Agriculturist magazine - https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=864888&p=24&view=issueViewer

I'll bring paintings of barns in this complex and elsewhere in Summit County, which will be for sale and will raise funds.

Unlike in other events, I won't be doing a painting demo, using palette knives and impasto technique, of an old barn. But other paintings of Summit County barns will be for sale, benefiting the historical society. I'll be telling stories about some of the barns I've painted over the years - in Ohio counties and in other states. The event is free and open to the public (a donation to the historical society will be voluntary and much appreciated). THERE WILL A BOOK SIGNING - Historic Barns of Ohio, which lists the paintings and essays of barns in all 88 Ohio counties (released by The History Press, March, 2021).

I'll also sign my full-color book, Round Barns of America, published by Acclaim Press in late 2022. This book features 75 round barns in 32 states, stretching from the east coast to the Wild West, and includes their stories, which range from the mid-1700s and the French and Indian War to more recent times, when an Iowa barn enthusiast built five stone round barns! Both books went through their first printing within a year of publication and both will be for sale and will benefit the historical society.

And, I'll sign copies of Stone Barns of America (east of the Mississippi), a new full color book, designed and printed full color in the USA and released in August 2025.