Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1-story gable-entry barn with two shed-roof additions and a gable-roof addition. The west main facade faces Stickney Hill Road, and the ridge-line is perpendicular to the road, which runs approximately north-south at this point. The main entry is a pair of exterior sliding doors centered on the west gable-facade of the barn. Above the doors is a wooden sign stating: “Rock Meadow Farm.” There is a window space near the south corner.  A shed-roof addition (Addition I) is attached to the south eave-side of the barn, encompassing the entire side.  Attached to the north gable-end of the barn is the gable-roof addition (Addition II).  This encompasses the entire side, and extends to the north off the main barn.

Another shed-roof addition (Addition III) comes off the north eave-side of the barn, encompassing this entire side. An exterior sliding door faces the road on the west side of Addition III, with the track extending the length of the addition to the north. The north side of Addition III has two window openings towards the west corner and a pair of exterior sliding doors to the east corner.  Two window openings are found on the east side of Addition III.

Addition II is one bay in length, and has a pair of side-hinged doors centered on the north side.  The doors appear to have iron strap hinges on the eastern most leaf.  Dense tree growth precludes a visual description of Addition I for the purposes of a Historic Resource Inventory.

The roof of the main structure and shed-roof additions are metal. Both are clad with unpainted vertical flush-board siding.  The gable-roof addition is clad with wood shingles and also has unpainted vertical flush-board siding.

Historical significance:

The New England barn or gable front barn was the successor to the English barn and relies on a gable entry rather than an entry under the eaves. The gable front offers many practical advantages. Roofs drain off the side, rather than flooding the dooryard. With the main drive floor running parallel to the ridge, the size of the barn could be increased to accommodate larger herds by adding additional bays to the rear gable end. Although it was seen by many as an improvement over the earlier side-entry English Barn, the New England barn did not replace its predecessor but rather coexisted with it.

Field Notes

n/a

Use (Historic)

• dairy

Use (Present)

• storage

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

No

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Other

Environment features

• Residential
• Rural
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

This barn is across the street and to the east of the house with which it is associated.  It faces the intersection of George Heck Road and Stickney Hill Road.  The main facade of the house faces east and the ridge-line is parallel with Stickney Hill Road.  The driveway extends to the north off George Heck Road and leads to the house.  Another driveway extends to the east off Stickney Hill Road, and leads to the barn.  To the north of the barn is a small shed,a nd to the south of the house is a garage.  To the northwest of the house is a garden with what appears to be a greenhouse.  To the north of the property is Moore Pond, open tracts of land, woodland and the boarder of Massachusetts.  To the south are open tracts of land, woodland and I-84.  To the west are open tracts of land, woodland, Upper Pond, and Stafford Springs Reservoir Number 2.  To the east are Willis Pond, woodland and I-84.  Surrounding the property are light residential areas, open tracts of land and woodland.

Map/Block/Lot: 02/09/015.

Building Typology

• New England

Materials

• Flush-board
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Post & Beam
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Tin
• Wood Shingle

Roof type

• Gable
• Shed

Approximate Dimensions

1600 square feet.

Date Compiled

06/30/2011

Compiled By

K. Young & T. Levine, reviewed by CT Trust

Sources

Photographs and field notes by Carol Mancini, William Scranton, Betty Bragdon - 9/14/2009.

Aerial Mapping: Union Maps
http://www.bing.com/maps - accessed 6/30/2011.

Town of Union Assessor’s Records:
http://www.visionappraisal.com/databases/ - accessed 6/30/2011.

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.