History Sings at The Barns

Feb 26, 2025

Every year, The Barns at Wolf Trap welcomes patrons for extraordinary performances from rock legends and opera stars to country icons and chamber musicians. With each show, The Barns’ hand-hewn timber beams resonate with world-class music and the spirit of those who built, restored, and cherished them.

This year, the German Barn celebrates its 300^th anniversary—one of The Barns’ two historic structures—in a milestone that embodies founder Catherine Filene Shouse’s vision to honor the past while building something new.

Take a step back in history and explore the rich journey of how The Barns came to be with the timeline below.

BUILDING THE BARNS

The Barns is composed of two historic structures that create a one-of-a-kind performance setting. The larger German Barn serves as the main performance space, while the smaller Scottish Barn houses the warm and intimate dining and reception areas.

Before the German Barn and Scottish Barn became “The Barns,” they each had a story all their own.

1725: A German Craftsman’s Legacy

The German Barn was built in 1725 by Johann Peter Kniskern in Blenheim, NY (Schoharie County). Kniskern initially designed the structure to serve only a small group of people and as a humble home to seven cows and two horses. Nestled among its hand-hewn beams, the building contained a traditional German “Swing Beam,” that allowed horses to be unhitched and turned into stalls without obstruction.

Learn More About Johann Peter Kniskern

Johann Peter Kniskern (1683-1759), born in Reinheim, Hesse, was a key figure among the Palatinate Germans who fled war, harsh winters, high taxes, and religious oppression in 1708. Recruited by the British government to extract naval supplies from New York’s forests, Kniskern and his family arrived in England in 1709. Serving as listmaster aboard the Lion of Leith, he led the first ship of Palatines to New York on June 13, 1710. After Crown support ended in 1712, Kniskern guided a group westward to settle in the Schoharie Valley in 1713.

1791-1792: Scottish Heritage in New York

The Scottish Barn was crafted by a Scotsman from the Jackson, NY area between 1791 and 1792. The barn’s original owner, Joseph Valentine, was born in Long Island in 1750, fought in the American Revolution, and was likely a descendant of the Lancashire, England Valentines.

Built in the traditional Scottish style, this first-generation Scotch barn was constructed much as the carpenters would have built in their homeland. It was designed to house five cows and two horses, and while the main timbers were still hand-hewn, they were larger, benefiting from the size and straightness of American trees.

A TIMELESS VISION

1979: The Dream for a Concert Hall

Nearly two centuries after the construction of each barn, Wolf Trap founder Mrs. Catherine Filene Shouse found inspiration for a new kind of performing arts venue. Mrs. Shouse attended an outstanding concert in a historic barn in Maine and quickly sought to replicate the experience as a gift to Washington, DC-area audiences.  

Through a recommendation from the legendary opera conductor and Wolf Trap musical director, Sarah Caldwell, Mrs. Shouse hired Mary Otis Stevens and her architectural firm, Design Guild, to create a year-round concert hall and reception space with barn-like structures.

Learn More About Mary Otis Stevens

Mary Otis Stevens (b. 1928) is a pioneering American architect who grew up in the Hudson River Valley in NY and currently resides in Cambridge, MA. Stevens earned a philosophy degree from Smith College in 1949 and subsequently graduated from MIT’s architecture program in 1956. Stevens’ fascination of the vernacular traditions of American architecture led her to be selected by Mrs. Shouse for The Barns project. She founded the Design Guild firm in 1975, which developed The Barns’ architectural designs, preliminary drawings, and construction documents.

1980: The Dream Begins

Mrs. Shouse was pleased with the selected German Barn and Scottish Barn for Wolf Trap and a contract was drawn up to move the structures to Vienna, VA.

Each barn was measured and documented with drawings and photographs, then carefully dismantled and brought to Babcock’s workshop in Hancock, MA. The barns were restored there with slight modifications to accommodate the new concert functions. 

Mrs. Shouse’s priority was to create a natural musical environment that didn’t need sound enhancements, like many of Europe’s esteemed concert halls. Stevens understood this, and thanks to her research on early American vernacular architecture, she and Mrs. Shouse agreed to a design featuring two original, antique barns. 

Finding the Right Barns

Stevens knew that choosing the right barns was crucial to realizing Mrs. Shouse’s vision. She sought out renowned barn preservationist and historian Richard Babcock, an expert in Hudson River Valley barns. Known for his masterful restoration of pre-Revolutionary structures, Babcock held a reputation for repurposing historic buildings with exceptional craftsmanship—making him the perfect collaborator.

Fortunately, Babcock had an impressive inventory of historic northeastern barns, including the German “Swing Beam” Barn he purchased earlier from Harold and Gertrude Kniskern and the Scottish Barn from Frank Seymour.

Stevens and Babcock explored potential options in his barn collection and quickly identified the German Barn as a perfect match.

“We swung the hay doors open and Mary’s eyes lit up with delight. She said it was love at first sight and that she would try to incorporate the barn into the Wolf Trap project.” –Richard Babcock

Subsequently, they visited the smaller, second barn of Scotch design and Stevens was equally impressed. Babcock sent drawings of both barns to Stevens at the Design Guild, and the work to create a world-class venue began.

“…these barns exhibit the building traditions of the settlers’ home countries. These historic barns are Temples in wood.” –Mary Otis Stevens, architect

A VENUE TAKES SHAPE

1980-1981: The Dream Begins

Mrs. Shouse was pleased with Stevens’ selection of the German Barn and Scottish Barn for Wolf Trap and a contract was drawn up for Babcock relocate the structures to Vienna, VA.

Each barn was measured and documented with drawings and photographs, then carefully dismantled and brought to Babcock’s workshop in Hancock, MA. The barns were restored there with slight modifications to accommodate the new concert functions. 

Rebuilding History in Virginia

In late 1980, Babcock and his team of craftsmen transported the restored barns piece-by-piece from Hancock, MA to Vienna, VA and re-erected them by hand, using gin poles.

Mrs. Shouse chose The Barns location in part because of the proximity to her private residence which allowed artists such as Beverly Sills or cellist Mstislav Rostropovich to stop by for lunch.

Once the structures were reassembled, Stevens built around them and developed an atrium to merge the historic barns with the stage areas, staff offices, restrooms, and kitchen. A central courtyard served as an overflow space and facilitated the circulation of audiences.

Stevens made two major changes to the outside—she built a series of square windows on the side wall of the Scottish Barn, and while preserving the silhouette, she added to the German Barn with the stage at the back. Where the old German Barn ended, the stage began.

A Preview of What’s to Come

Mrs. Shouse formally donated The Barns at Wolf Trap in 1981 as a diverse and intimate year-round performance space for local arts lovers.

In October 1981, The Barns welcomed patrons for a preview season featuring Glenn Jacobsen and Edward Mattos, An Evening of Gilbert & Sullivan by The London Savoyards, the film From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China, Baroque Music Works, the Wolf Trap Chamber Group, and The No Elephant Circus. 

A MUSIC SPACE FOR ALL

1982: The Barns Debuts

The Barns officially opened in January, 1982, with performances by The Columbine and Primavera String Quartets, instantly striking a perfect chord.

The Washington Post praised The Barns’ historic charm writing, “The space feels right. It suits its new purpose like an old glove. The aged textures of those hand-hewn hardwood beams and studs have something to do with this quality, but it’s also due to space itself, almost as if Johann Peter Kniskern had something more than hay and horses in mind when he built the barn…”

1982-2000s: A Stage for Legends and Rising Stars

In its first decade, The Barns became a destination for renowned artists across genres. From Tony Bennett, Judy Collins, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Mary Chapin Carpenter, Vince Gill, and The Washington Ballet, the venue attracted a wide range of extraordinary talent.

The cozy venue also transformed into the summer home of Wolf Trap Opera starting in 1982 with performances of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale, and Haydn’s The Apothecary. The premier summer residency program, which continues today, launches the careers of emerging opera stars and features innovative productions.

Later in 1985, The Barns introduced BARNSTORM!, a beloved children’s series featuring folk music, mime, puppetry, and storytelling, which ran through 1996.

1990s-2000s: Iconic Performances and Rising Stars

The 1990s and 2000s carried on with an exceptional slate of icons, legends, and rising stars like Harry Connick, Jr., Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Dixie Chicks, Zakir Hussain, Angelique Kidjo, The Avett Brothers, Kristin Chenoweth, Béla Fleck, Chris Thile,and Toots & The Maytals who graced the stage.

Classical music remained a cornerstone of each season and the Discovery Series launched in 1996 to showcase masterful chamber artists. The series was renamed to Chamber Music at The Barns in 2014 and continues today to host the best of the genre including Wu Han, David Finckel, Pinchas Zukerman, Chamber Society of Lincoln Center, and many more.

2010s: Renovation and Evolution

The talent continued to grow at The Barns with remarkable performances by Brandi Carlile, Graham Nash, Patti LuPone, Art Garfunkel, DeeDee Bridgewater, Sheila E, Ronnie Spector & The Ronettes, Old Dominion, and Omara Portuondo, among many others. 

In 2018, The Barns underwent an exciting renovation that marked the first time major changes were made to the venue since its opening. Led by design firm Gensler and general contractor L.F. Jennings, the refresh featured a glass-covered atrium, a new front entrance, upgraded patron amenities, and a coat of warm red paint on the exterior. The enhancements seamlessly blended The Barns’ historic essence with modern amenities, all made possible thanks to the philanthropic support of Dan and Gayle D’Aniello..

2020s: Blending Modern Comfort with Historic Charm

In 2021, audiences at The Barns were welcomed by a fresh wave of enhancements designed to elevate their experience. A revitalized bar area and an expanded kitchen allowed for a more robust pre-show menu, while long-awaited improvements transformed backstage spaces. Performers benefited from a new backstage crossover, an accessible elevator to dressing rooms, and refurbished pre-show areas—ensuring both comfort and convenience without compromising The Barns’ historic nature.

Just a few artists who have already made their mark at The Barns this decade are T Bone Burnett, The Del McCoury Band, Darren Criss, Tanya Tucker, Mavis Staples, Pinchas Zukerman, Ali Sethi, Kelli O’Hara, The Miro Quartet, Darlene Love, Booker T. Jones, and The Last Bandoleros, with many more to come.

Additionally, each spring the German Barn now hosts local students and educators as a part of Wolf Trap’s Grants for Performing Arts Teachers program.

CELEBRATING THE BARNS

Today, 300 years after the German Barn was first constructed, it is no doubt builder Johann Peter Kniskern would be thrilled to see his craftmanship celebrated and expanded on in such remarkable ways. As architect Mary Otis Stevens shared, “What most delights me about The Barns at Wolf Trap is how they have met their challenges and continue to be a beloved cultural amenity.”

Indeed, The Barns at Wolf Trap is living proof that history not only lasts—it sings.

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“Barnstorming Wolf Trap Farm,” Benjamin Forgey, The Washington Post, January 8, 1982; “Barn-Theater at Wolf Trap,” The New York Times, January 7, 1982; “Johann Peter Kniskern – Builder of the German Barn,”Robert & Patricia Sheehy, 2024, Wolf Trap Foundation Archives, Vienna, VA; “Mary Otis Stevens Biography and Remarks,” 2024, Wolf Trap Foundation Archives, Vienna, VA; Mary Otis Stevens Materials and Wolf Trap Images, MIT Museum Archive; The Barns at Wolf Trap, Richard Babcock and Jack Sobon, 1982, Wolf Trap Foundation Archives, Vienna, VA; “Richard Babcock’s Involvement with The Barns,” Richard Babcock, Wolf Trap Foundation Archives, Vienna, VA