Landmarks ·

Photography of the Old Keene Barn

Photo by Evan Williams of Pure Adirondacks

When asked to describe some of the iconic settings in the Adirondack Park, there are a few images that instantly come to mind. Chances are that if you have traveled through the Adirondacks, you have at one time or another passed the weathered, yet incredibly charming, red barn standing solemnly in a field along Route 73 in Keene.

UPDATE: In December 2016, the barn was officially dismantled. The Department of Environmental Conservation released a statement that said the building was no longer structurally sound and had become “a health and safety hazard.”

With the High Peaks standing as guardians in the background, the barn has slowly started to succumb to the passing of time, roof sagging and red boards fading. It’s state does not make the scene a gloomy one, rather it enhances the barn’s allure. Photographers have long been entranced by the barn and the surrounding peaks, going out of their way just to drive by so that they can capture the scene in yet another lighting or another season. We recently asked fellow Adirondack lovers and photographers to share with us their favorite images of this iconic Old Keene Barn. The response we received was overwhelming; with photos pouring in that were taken in all seasons and from many different artistic viewpoints.

#DackFact: “The barn was built in the late 1950s by Reginald Whitney, who at one time kept cows in the barn,” said Keene resident Tony Goodwin. “He and other members of his family also ran a small eatery – hence the large turnout at that location”