Enchanted by their beauty, complexity, and historical significance, Tom and Helen Bartuska spent decades researching archives and visiting every Washington round barn over fifty years old, at least two stories, and over fifty feet in diameter they could find. When possible, they took photographs and talked with owners to tell each structure's story--who built it and when, original and current uses, individual characteristics, construction details, and more. They also introduce the history, development, and successful re-use and conservation of other types of buildings, hoping to inspire others to help maintain, preserve, and reanimate existing structures and unite communities.
Tom Bartuska received his Bachelor and Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois, and completed post graduate studies at the University of Manchester. After a forty-year teaching career, he is now a professor emeritus at Washington State University's School of Architecture and Construction Management.
Helen Bartuska attended the University of Illinois and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, and holds a BA in Home Economics, Child and Family Studies. She received her Montessori certification from England's St. Nicholas Montessori Training Center, and taught young children for over two decades.
