A few years ago, my landlady decorated the free-standing garage on the property with a large metal star, and although it wasn’t to my taste, I noticed that this star design had become a popular motif in our area. I wondered about the story behind the design, so I did some research on the web; two sites I found particularly helpful were an article in the Boston Globe and a page from a gardening site.
Apparently, the barn star developed from the traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch, brought from the old country and then passed down generation to generation as a sign of good fortune.
Large stars of various formats painted on the facades or gable ends of Pennsylvania barns are considered “hex” signs, a form of decorative folk art that dates to 1860 or perhaps earlier. They are based on patterns that were first used on paper and household objects, and other personal and intimate objects such as tombstones, long before they became public embellishments for barns.
This is what our star looks like:
Walnut Street
Here is another one on Route 67 in West Brookfield:
Purple Onion
And yet another on Route 9 heading toward Amherst:
King Creek Farm
