Have you ever been driving down a country road in Arkansas or anywhere in the United States and noticed a five-pointed metal star on the side of a barn? What does it mean?. Believe it or not, the history of the barn star goes back as far as the 18th Century and was commonly seen in German farming communities. The star was a symbol used to ward off evil and bring good luck and prosperity to farmers such as the horseshoe. The stars can come in different forms and colors with each color representing something unique.