Today, the barn star is generally used for aesthetic purposes to adorn indoor and outdoor spaces but the tradition of the barn star actually originated in the 1700’s. They can be traced back to the 1820’s in Pennsylvania, gaining popularity after the Civil War, most commonly on German farms. Sometimes the trademark of particular barn builders, a star would be mounted on the face of the barn.  The original star design was three-pointed. Colours had a special meaning among the Amish & Pennsylvania Dutch families. They were originally painted directly on the barn, but are now typically made of metal.