Why Are Barn Stars Hung on the North Wall?

Brightly painted five-pointed stars are an example of American folk art.

The tradition of adding a star to adorn a barn has its roots in Europe, where swastikas and other embellishments adorned ancient buildings. In America, they were used by early Pennsylvania settlers as a symbol of good fortune, and to add aesthetic appeal to the lowly barn. Today, barn stars are available at every crafts show and store, and are brightly painted in colors to match any decor. They are now considered folk art, and are placed on outbuildings and in gardens to add visual interest to a neglected part of the landscape.

History

Barn stars have been a part of the American agricultural scene for more than 300 years, when large waves of immigrants landed in Pennsylvania from Germany and Switzerland. They were escaping from religious prosecution. The more "plain" of these religions--the Amish and Mennonites--adorned their barns with simple stars, as a sign of good fortune. Those religions that were "fancy"--the Quakers and Lutherans--embellished these simple stars with a multitude of colors and designs, incorporating fruit, flowers and geometric shapes within a circle. These became known as Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs, and were used to ward off evil spirits.

Significance of the North Wall Placement

During the 1850s and 1860s, the Amish were a vital part of the Underground Railroad. It is a common belief that placing the barn stars on the north wall of their buildings was a way to let the runaway slaves know that they were headed north, to Canada and freedom.

Characteristics

Regardless of the material from which a barn star is made, or the size of the star, it is imperative that the star have five points.

Colors

The colors of today's barn stars have their root in the hex signs of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Basically, the colors signify the following: black stands for protection; blue is peace; brown signifies friendship and strength; green means growth and fertility; orange means an abundance in career; red signifies passion; violet relates to things that are sacred; white stands for purity; and yellow means healthy in body and mind.

Composition

Prior to the 1830s, barns were left unpainted, due to the high cost of supplies. When the price of paint declined, the Amish began to paint a simple 5-pointed star directly on the barn face. As new barns were constructed, the builder would fashion an inlaid star into the barn siding, or attach a wood one, as a signature of his work. After the discovery of American folk art in the 1930s and 1940s, people began to want portable barn stars that they could take to their residences. Artists began making stars from wood or tiles, and later from lightweight sheet metal.

References

• Tinn Treasures: History of the Barn Star
• The Artistic Garden: Barn Star