Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 2 story gambrel barn with a shed-roofed addition. The main facade faces east, perpendicular to Niewiarowski Road, which runs approximately north-south. The south-eave facade has a series of stables windows. The west gable-facade has the shed-roofed addition with a small sigh that reads “Broad Brook Farm: Preston CT.” The west gable-facade above the addition has three windows in the tympanum; two six-pane windows flanking a four-pane window just beneath the apex of the roof. The barn is clad in a combination of vertical and horizontal unpainted siding. The roof has a projecting hayhood on the east end and has two metal ventaltors along the ridgeline.

Historical significance:

By the early 20th century agricultural engineers developed a new approach to dairy barn design: the ground-level stable barn, to reduce the spread of tuberculosis bacteria by improving ventilation, lighting, and reducing the airborne dust of manure. A concrete slab typically serves as the floor for the cow stables. Many farmers converted manure basements in older barns into ground-level stables with concrete floors. Some older barns were jacked up and set on new first stories to allow sufficient headroom. With the stables occupying the entire first story, the space above serves a a hayloft. By the 1920s most ground-level stable barns were being constructed with lightweight balloon frames using two-by-fours or two-by-sixes for most of the timbers. Tongue-and-groove beveled siding is common on the walls, although asbestos cement shingles also were a popular sheathing. Some barns have concrete for the first-story walls, either poured in place or built up out of blocks. The gambrel roof design was universally accepted as it enclosed a much greater volume than a gable roof did, and its shape could be formed with trusses.

Field Notes

Large gambrel barn used on a working dairy farm as milking barn and storage. Located on a dead end road with no public access to view property.

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• unknown

---

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Carriage House
• Garage
• Garden
• Other

Environment features

• Open Land
• Scattered Buildings

Relationship to surroundings

The barn is off to the east from the street, which ends at this address. The barn is central to fenced in fields and other outbuildings.

Building Typology

• New England

Materials

• Other
• Vertical Siding

---

Structural System

n/a

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

---

Roof type

• Gambrel

---

Approximate Dimensions

n/a

Date Compiled

04/09/2010

Compiled By

Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust

Sources

Photographs by Linda Christensen - 12/07/2009.

Additional photographs by Sue Theve - 12/09/2009.

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.