Introduction
Tucked into the rolling landscape of Dunseith, North Dakota, the Round Barn is a beloved and storied landmark. Built in the 1940s, the iconic structure once served as the heart of a working dairy farm, and a gathering place for the surrounding community. Decades later, a new generation of stewards set out to honor that legacy by transforming the Round Barn into something bigger: a living, breathing destination where families could step off the highway and step back in time.
The vision was ambitious, but it would be attainable thanks to a destination development grant awarded by the State of North Dakota.
The Challenge
For all its history and charm, the Round Barn faced a challenge that many heritage destinations know all too well: the world has moved on to technology and modernity, and kids were growing up without any real connection to the past. The hands-on exposure to dairy farming that once defined Midwestern life had faded, leaving a generational gap.
On top of that, the Round Barn lacked the brand foundation to communicate its vision clearly to the families, travelers, and grant-makers who needed to understand what it was becoming.
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The Solution
We kicked things off with a Discovery Workshop, digging deep into the Round Barn’s history, values, audience, and competitive landscape. From there, we built a full Brand Blueprint; the strategic backbone that would guide everything that followed.
The strategy was clear: position the Round Barn as History You Can Touch. Not history behind glass or roped off in a corner, but the kind you can see in the worn wood floors, taste in the garden, and feel in the dirt. The brand aligned with the Innocent and Caregiver archetypes, landing on a voice that’s wholesome, nurturing, and wonder-filled. The tagline, Find Your Way Back, captured the emotional pull perfectly.
We also mapped out how partners would show up alongside the brand. Collaborators like Bartlett Farms will present themselves as “[Name] at the Round Barn.” This gives every future partner a clear way to co-brand and keeps the Round Barn at the center of the experience.
Then we moved into the creative phase, developing three distinct visual worlds. The Round Barn team chose to move forward with a direction consisting of retro fonts, a halftone pattern, and hand-drawn illustrations.
From there, the creative team presented three sketched concepts inspired by the chosen visual strategy. Everyone, including Round Barn’s team, unanimously decided on a wordmark with the retro flair shown in the visual strategy. Following their decision, we implemented color, derived from the buildings at Round Barn. We finally had a vintage-inspired brand identity rooted in 1950s Americana.
The Result
The brand has been met with public excitement, and momentum has been building fast! The Round Barn team has been working with engineers and architects to bring the full site to life.
Plans include 50+ RV camping locations, hands-on livestock and homesteading learning experiences, and North Dakota’s only dairy museum, set to tell the story of dairy farming in the 1950s. Its sister brand, Bartlett Farms, will offer livestock viewing, a petting zoo, Farm Camp for Kids, wagon rides and more.
With a planned opening in 2027, the Round Barn is on its way to becoming exactly what it set out to be: North Dakota’s premier living agricultural landmark.
Be sure to stay up to date on the camp site opening date and more!
