Our History

Barnes Advertising Corporation is a fourth generation family owned business. We are committed from design to display to providing, with honesty and accuracy, the highest quality of outdoor advertising to our clients. We will continue to use our knowledge in the outdoor advertising industry to be a leader in our community that others will want to emulate.

Around the turn of the century, Mr. Erwin M. Barnes, an especially gifted commercial artist in the city of Boston Massachusetts, started a billboard plant. Erwin operated his outdoor advertising company in Boston and surrounding areas, including Rhode Island, for many years under the name of “Mr. Barnes of Boston.” He had a son, Beryl G. Barnes, born in the city of Boston in 1899.

In 1916, Erwin sold all of his interest in New England to John M. Donnelly and Sons and intended to move his family west to California. But, while traveling thru Zanesville, Ohio he was particularly taken with the city and decided to stay and put down roots. Erwin Barnes was only in Zanesville a few short years when he passed away.

He left the family business to his son, Beryl, who operated the outdoor advertising facility in southeastern Ohio until his death in 1971. Beryl Barnes had two sons, David and Roderick who operated the family business after his death. David passed away in 1982 leaving the business solely to Roderick Barnes.

In 2009, Roderick retired, leaving the business to his children, Maryjane Shackelford and John W. Barnes, making them the fourth generation to own and manage the business. Today, we officially have the fifth generation in house learning what it takes to continue the Barnes Advertising legacy.