Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

• Local Historic District
• National Historic Landmark
• National Register
• State Register

Historic Significance

Architectural Description:

This is a 1 ½ story three-bay, side- or eave-entry barn with two shed-roofed additions. The barn faces east with its ridge line running north-south. The main entry, on the east eave-facade, is a pair of hinged doors in the center bay with a projecting hood above. A weather-door is in the north hinged door. A twelve-over-twelve-pane transom is above the projecting hood in the center bay of the east eave-facade. The south bay of the east eave-facade has a pass-through door in the southern-most corner. The north bay has a pass-through door in the northern-most corner. There is a shed-roofed addition off the north and south gable-facades. On the east eave-facades of both additions is a centered, eight-over-eight double-hung window. The barn has un-painted vertical siding and an asphalt shingle roof.

Historical Significance:

The oldest barns still found in the state are called the “English Barn,” “side-entry barn,” “eave entry,” or a 30 x 40. They are simple buildings with rectangular plan, pitched gable roof, and a door or doors located on one or both of the eave sides of the building based on the grain warehouses of the English colonists’ homeland. The name “30 by 40” originates from its size (in feet), which was large enough for 1 family and could service about 100 acres. The multi-purpose use of the English barn is reflected by the building’s construction in three distinct bays - one for each use. The middle bay was used for threshing, which is separating the seed from the stalk in wheat and oat by beating the stalks with a flail. The flanking bays would be for animals and hay storage.

Field Notes

This barn was erected to replace one that was burned in 1838 in a spate of barn burnings in Wethersfield. The Welles account books make reference to payments for its construction in the years 1844-1847. The building was moved 30 feet to the west in 1919 when the CDs installed a new garden at Webb house. It was converted to a meeting room and Auditorium by the society in 1934. Sketch plans of the building, and the plans for its 1934 renovation, are available from the society. The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum is the caretaker of another remarkable building besides its houses: the nineteenth-century Webb Barn, located at the rear of the property behind the Colonial Revival Garden. The building serves the museum as a setting for education classes, lectures, meetings and other special events. It is also available for weddings, reunions and corporate gatherings (see Weddings & Event Rentals). Little is known about the original Webb Barn. It is not mentioned in historic records until after the property was purchased in 1821 by Martin Wells, a lawyer and later a judge in Wethersfield. On March 2, 1840, the Hartford Daily Courant newspaper reported that: “On Saturday morning the barn of Martin Welles, Esq. was burned to the ground, with two horses and a cow….the fire was undoubtedly the work of incendiaries. The citizens have offered a liberal reward for their apprehension.” According to Welles’ receipt book, in June 1840 he started the construction of a new barn -- presumably on the same location as the original. The present building was moved back 30 feet and has had a series of additions and renovations completed by the Colonial Dames to serve their needs. In the 1930s, three wings on the north, south and west sides were added using iron hardware, wood timbers, and floorboards salvaged from other 19th century barns. The most recent renovations were completed in the mid-1990s. While the Webb Barn today still retains much of its historic ambience and rustic charm, it is spacious enough to accommodate up to 135 people for a sit-down luncheon or dinner and contains up-to-date mechanical systems, restrooms, and a catering kitchen. NHL Statement of Significance (as of designation - January 20, 1961): In May 1781, this late Georgian house was the site of a five-day conference between General George Washington and the Count de Rochambeau, French commander in America, to plan their offensive against the British. Plans begun during this meeting led to the Yorktown campaign. The Webb House was in danger of collapse for lack of critical vertical support of its roof and upper floors. The museum applied for a 2004 grant from the Save America's Treasures program to install a hidden steel support framework. The structural stabilization of the Webb House was completed in 2008 with the grant from the Save America’s Treasures fund, administered by the National Park Service.

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• museum

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Cupola
• Garage
• Garden
• Shed

Environment features

• Commercial
• Open Land
• Residential

Relationship to surroundings

The barn faces east with its ridge line running parallel to Main Street. It is located west of the associated house with a shed situated south of the barn.

The barn sits at the back of the property owned by the CDs—behind the Webb, Deane and Stevens houses on Wethersfield’s heavily settled Main St.

Building Typology

• English

Materials

• Flush-board
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Post & Beam

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable
• Shed

Approximate Dimensions

ca. 38' x 33.5'

Date Compiled

06/15/2010

Compiled By

S. Lessard and T. Levine, reviewed by CT Trust

Sources

Photographs and field notes by James Sexton PhD and Laura V.

Sexton, James, PhD; Survey Narrative of the Connecticut Barn, Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Hamden, CT, 2005, http://www.connecticutbarns.org/history.
 
Visser, Thomas D.,Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings, University Press of New England,1997.

National Register Number: 66000885

http://www.webb-deane-stevens.org/webb_barn.html

National Historic Landmark, per SHPO files.

Local Historic District - Old Wethersifled Historic District, 1962.

Luyster, Constance, Old Wethersfield National Register Historic District Nomination No. 70000719, National Park Service, 1970.