AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

The Great American Barn Contest

The barn is one of America’s oldest and most enduring structures. Shaped by the land, the climate, and generations of builders who knew that something made well outlasts the people who made it.

Country Carpenters has been building post and beam barns and outbuildings in the New England tradition for over 50 years. To mark America’s 250th, we’re inviting the whole country to design what they believe the Great American Barn should look like. The winning design joins our product line and becomes available for anyone to own.

SUBMISSIONS OPEN august 24 – september 14, 2026

START DESIGNING

HOW IT WORKS

Proudly celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary • 1776 – 2026 • Built by hand. Built to last.

HOW IT WORKS

From blank canvas
to Great American Barn

Anyone can enter. All you need is a vision and our free 2D Barn Builder to bring it to life.

01

DESIGN YOUR BARN

Open the free 2D Barn Builder and start designing. Play with footprint, roofline, doors, and proportions until it looks like the barn America deserves. No experience required.

02

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY

Save your design and submit it through the contest entry form by September 14. Our panel will review all entries and select 10 finalists based on design quality, feasibility, and New England heritage.

03

AMERICA VOTES

The top 10 finalists go to a public vote here on the site from Sept. 16-23. The top 3 advance to a final round of voting from Sept. 24 – 30, with the winner announced October 1.

04

WIN BIG

The winner takes home $10,000 in Country Carpenters credit toward a barn kit, plus national recognition as the designer of the Great American Barn. Two runners-up each receive $2,500 in credit.

Key dates

Contest timeline

Mark your calendar. The contest runs August 24 through September 30, 2026. Just over five weeks to design, vote, and celebrate.

PHASE 1

Submissions open

August 24 – September 14

Submit your 2D barn design through the builder tool. All entries reviewed by the Country Carpenters panel.

PHASE 2

Judging

September 15

Panel selects 10 finalists judged on design quality, feasibility, storytelling, and New England heritage alignment.

PHASE 3

Public voting

Sept. 16 – Sept. 23

Vote for your favorite among the top 10. Top 3 advance to the final vote, September 24–30.

WINNER

Announcement

October 1, 2026

The Great American Barn is revealed and goes into production as a Country Carpenters design.

Prizes

What you’re building toward

One grand prize winner takes home $10,000 in Country Carpenters credit toward a barn kit. Two runners-up each receive $2,500 in credit redeemable across our full product line. Three winners total — all recognized on our website and social channels.

GRAND PRIZE

$10,000

COUNTRY CARPENTERS CREDIT

Applied toward a Saltbox, One Story, Two Story, or Specialty barn kit
Featured on Country Carpenters website and social channels
National recognition as designer of the Great American Barn

$10,000 Country Carpenters credit toward a Saltbox, One Story, Two Story or Specialty barn kit only. This credit does not apply to small buildings, accessories, traditional furnishings or repairs. The contest winner has one year from the signing of the contract to redeem the prize. The prize will be void after 1 year.

2 RUNNERS-UP

$2,500

COUNTRY CARPENTERS CREDIT EACH

Redeemable toward any new building,furniture, accessories, or repair work
Featured on website and social channels

$2,500 Country Carpenters credit towards a new building from any of our series, furniture, accessories or repair work. Each runner-up has one year from the signing of the contract to redeem the prize. The prize will be void after 1 year.