The preservation and relocation of American Heritage barns
Iowa Barn Savers specialize in re-engineering your barn for the next century of structural integrity, while preserving the barn’s original craftsmanship.
With passion and dedication Dan Schmitt has become a nationally known expert in the restoration and reconstruction of 19th century heritage barns. He seeks to collaborate to restore, repurpose and/or relocate barns across the United States.
His skills, ingenuity and dedicated hard work allow quality craftsmanship to come through in every project.
Dan Schmitt
Growing up in Guttenberg, Iowa Dan fell in love with the traditional barns that dotted the landscape. As Dan saw the number of barns dwindle, he created the Iowa Barn Savers to help preserve these iconic structures.
“Each project is unique, and each barn has a story to tell. They’re worth saving!”
As a skilled carpenter and craftsman, Dan had worked on restoration projects of local churches. To educate himself about barn restoration and construction, Dan was mentored by craftsmen from the neighboring Amish community. These heritage barns were built with hand hewn, large timbers and intricate joinery of the centuries old technique of timber frame construction. The Amish
were some of the original European craftsmen who brought these techniques to United States.
Dan spread the word amongst farmers and landowners about the value and potential of their barns. He discussed various options to consider: restore, repurpose, or relocate a barn to a new owner.
Dan has dedicated his career to barn projects across the Midwest, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Dan is continually learning, and is as passionate as ever about his career.