The Jackson County Bicentennial Barn was painted in 2003 as part of the Ohio Bicentennial Barn Project, a statewide effort commemorating 200 years of statehood. One barn in each of Ohio’s 88 counties was selected and painted by artist Scott Hagan, whose hand-painted designs became symbols of community pride and agricultural heritage.
Located on the century-old Pleasant View Farm among the hills of southern Ohio, the Jackson County barn remains a visible example of this unique public art initiative. The property was recently purchased by the Shope family, who plan to restore the structure and repaint Hagan’s original Bicentennial logo to preserve its historical and cultural value.
The Ohio Bicentennial Barn Project was organized by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission to create lasting, county-level landmarks of state pride. Between 1997 and 2002, Hagan, then a young artist from Jerusalem, Ohio, traveled more than 65,000 miles to paint the Bicentennial logo on barns across the state. Each design, featuring the red, white, and blue “1803–2003” emblem within the state’s outline, was completed freehand without stencils and adapted to the unique surface of each barn.
Over time, many of the original barns have faded, been repainted, or lost to age and development. Those that remain, such as the Jackson County Bicentennial Barn, continue to serve as enduring reminders of Ohio’s 200th anniversary and the communities that supported its celebration.
