Photo of the Day: March 6, 2016 – Dean and Laura Johnson’s Barn

Even if you don’t travel the Old Mission Peninsula all the time, you’ve probably seen this barn at the corner of Center and Kroupa Roads. A few years ago, it popped up in a TV commercial for Tri-Gas, and not too long ago, I noticed a big poster of it in the G.T. Pie Co. in downtown Traverse City.

When I was a kid, it was owned by the Rudes. I don’t remember Mr. Rude, but Mrs. Rude was always a presence in my life. Now it’s owned by my brother Dean Johnson and his wife Laura. There have been horses in this barn as long as I can remember. Which is really cool.

The star on the side is part of Evelyn Johnson’s “Barn Quilt Project,” where these neat quilt patterns were placed on a lot of the barns on the Peninsula. There’s one on our home barn north of Mapleton, as well.

Check out the book “Barns of Old Mission Peninsula” by Evelyn Johnson (no relation, other than being an Old Mission Sister, which of course, is everything). There’s also an accompanying website here.