The Maine Barn Quilt Trail

The Maine Barn Quilt Trail is a growing network of over 40 barn quilts located in Franklin County and Somerset County. The first set of quilt murals were curated by artist Saskia Reinholt and painted by over 600 children in North Franklin County under the guidance of teaching artists Saskia Reinholt and Natasha Bogar in 2019. Participating schools included the Stratton School, Phillips Elementary School, Kingfield Elementary School, Strong Elementary School, and Mount Abrams Regional High School. Rangeley Friends of the Arts after-school program and the New Vineyard Public Library participated by hosting community painting workshops. In 2020, four commemorative Maine State Bicentennial crazy quilt murals were made at free community workshops in Avon, Kingfield, and Eustis. In the spring of 2021, fifteen barn quilts were made at free community workshops across Somerset County. Students involved in these workshops learned about the history of barn paintings, quilting, color theory, geometric design, cooperative painting, and were engaged in cultural discussions. The community barn quilt trail was made possible through grants and support from the Maine Community Foundation, Maine Arts Commission, The Betterment Fund, Sugarloaf Charitable Trust, Skowhegan Charitable Foundation, Franklin County TIF, Jean and King Cummings Fund, Jordan Lumber, and local volunteers.

The Maine High Peaks Barn Quilt Trail is a community-made public art trail that enhances the Maine High Peaks Arts and Heritage Loop, celebrates rural traditions, encourages tourists to move through a rural landscape, and links into the national American Barn Quilt Trail. This collaborative community project was organized by the High Peaks Creative Council with the goal of furthering the visibility and reputation of the Maine High Peaks Region as an arts, cultural, and recreational destination.