Barn Record Lebanon
RETURN TO ‘FIND BARNS’- Building Name (Common)
- Williams Farm
- Building Name (Historic)
- n/a
- Address
- 234 Goshen Hill Road, Lebanon
- Typology
- Overview
-
Designations
n/a
Historic Significance
Architectural description:
This is a 2 story gable-entry gambrel stable barn with a gable-roofed addition and is a part of a large farming complex. The main facade faces west and the ridge-line of the barn is parallel with Goshen Hill Road, which runs approximately east-west. The main entry is a pair of exterior sliding doors in the center of the west gable-facade on the main level. Flanking the opening are two pairs of four-pane windows, two on each side. Above in the second level is a sliding hay-door flanked by a window opening on each side. Just beneath the hay-door hood is a six-pane window. The north eave-facade has a series of stable windows and pass-through doors. Towards the east corner of the facade is a shed-roofed addition that extends to the north. Just east of that is a shed-roofed dormer. Encompassing the entire width of the east gable-facade is a gable-roofed addition that extends to the east. The south eave-facade of the barn has a series of stable windows. Towards the center of the facade is a gable-roofed dormer with a pair of side-hinged hay-doors. attached to the eastern end of the south eave-facade is a number of auxiliary outbuildings. The barn has concrete block masonry walls on the main level and asphalt shingles in the second level of the east gable-facade. The barn is painted white. The roof has asphalt shingles and two metal ventilators atop the ridge-line.
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
Original and current use dairy Due to grandfather's death grandson is trying to maintain farm. Due to low milk prices and no help he hopes to maintain dairy business.
- Use & Accessibility
- Environment
Related features
Environment features
Relationship to surroundings
This barn the most visible of the Williams Farm farming complex. The house it is associated with is next to and to the east of the barn, both right along Goshen Hill Road with their ridge-lines parallel to the street. Behind and to the west of the barn is a very large pole barn, about four times the size of the gambrel barn, with its ridge-line perpendicular to the street. In front of the pole barn and next to the gambrel barn is a gable-entry shed. Behind the house to the north is an English barn and a garage. Further back from the house and to the northeast are large tracts of open space. There are large tracts of open space south of the complex across Goshen Hill Road. The total size of the site is 65 acres. The area surrounding the site is scattered residential units, open space and woodland.
mblu = 252//12
- Typology & Materials
-
Building Typology
Materials
Structural System
n/a
Roof materials
Roof type
Approximate Dimensions
4050 S.F.
- Source
-
Date Compiled
07/23/2010
Compiled By
Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust
Sources
Photographs and field notes by Jacky Smakula.
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.
Map of the Lebanon, CT, retrieved on July 23, 2010 from website www.zillow.com.
Town of Lebanon assessors office, 579 Exeter Road, Lebanon, CT 06249.
- PhotosClick on image to view full file
-
