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It was February 2002 when I first met Bob Crittendon near his home at San
Juan Capistrano, CA. We had been in email contact for a year on
Bob’s book-in-process on historic barns of the American Far West. Bob, a Mississippi native and retired business executive, traced his passion
for barns from a visit as a five-year old to his grandfather’s farm at
Martin, TN. Recently Bob sent me the result of his vision and years of
dedication to this retirement project.
Barn in the U.S.A. is a gem! It is a red (naturally) softcover volume
of 104 pages, half of which are high quality full page color photos by Bob’s
collaborator Jim Youden and the balance Bob’s text on selected historic barns
in eleven Western states. Too often this
region of the country is understandably overshadowed by the trove of barns in
the Midwest, Middle Atlantic and New England states; Bob’s book focuses and gives due credit to the
vernacular architecture of the livestock and fruit operations of the West.
No matter where you live, if you like barns and Americana, you will enjoy
the photography and history of Barn in the U.S.A. Aside from the selected barns of the Far West, there is a useful section
on barn types and features nationwide as well as current efforts to preserve
this architectural heritage.
Barn in the U.S.A. is published by Fulcrum, Golden, CO, To purchase a copy for a private barn tour in the comfort of your home, contact www.historicbarns.com or www.fulcrumbooks.com for details.
Review by Charles Leik. Posted August 1, 2006.
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