Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 1/2 story gable-entry barn with a gable-roofed wagon-shed addition and two shed-roofed addition. The main entry is through a shed-roofed addition on the southeast gable-facade. The addition is L-shaped and extends into the barn and out towards the northeast, extending past the barn. The rest of the southeast gable-facade of the main barn is blank except for a window opening in beneath the apex of the roof. The northeast eave-facade of the barn faces Old Willimantic Road and the ridge-line of the barn is parallel to the road. the facade has a series of sic-pane stable windows across the eave with a pass-through door at the east corner and a double pass-through door off center towards the north. Beneath the eave is a side-hinged hay door off center to the east. To the north of the hay door is lettering in white paint stating “Newberry Farm” with an area pointing to the southwest. To the east of the hay door is lettering in white paint stating “Stone Acres FARM” with a figure on horseback above it.

The ground at the northwest gable-facade falls away slightly, revealing a mortared field-stone foundation that appears to have been covered with cement. The northwest gable-facade is blank except for a window opening on the main level towards the wet half of the facade and a large pair of exterior sliding hay door in the gable attic. the track following the eave of the roof. Just beneath the apex of the roof is an extending hay track. The southwest eave-facade is encompassed by the shed-roofed addition, which is flush with the gable-facades of the main barn and appears to have an un-mortared field-stone foundation. Extending to the southwest from western half of the shed-roofed addition is a gable-roofed wagon-shed addition. The barn has a combination of wood shingles, vertical flush-board siding, horizontal flush-board siding and board-and-batten siding sheathing the barn, all painted red except for the doors which are painted white. The foundation is made of mortared and un-mortared field-stone, concrete masonry and cement over field-stone. The roof has a projecting overhang, asphalt shingles and two metal ventilators atop the ridge-line.

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.

Distinguished by the long shed or gable roof and the row of large openings along the eave side, the typical wagon shed was often built as a separate structure or as a wing connected to the farmhouse or the barn. These open-bay structures protect farm vehicles and equipment from the weather and provide shelter for doing small repairs and maintenance.

Field Notes

Large red barn directly adjacent to road, 0.1 mile east of Cherry Valley and Chowanec Road intersection

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• unknown

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Barn
• Other
• Shed

Environment features

• Active Agriculture
• Open Land
• Residential
• Rural
• Scattered Buildings
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The barn fronts Old Willimantic Road. Behind and to the northwest is a large, new, wood pole barn and a two story chicken coop. Further to the northwest are tracts of open space. Across Old Willimantic Road to the east is a large tract of open space. To the west of the barn is Cherry Valley Road. To the northeast of the barn is a pond. To the south on the west side of Chowanec Road is a large tract of open space; to the east of Chowanec Road is woodland. The total size of the site is 18.96 acres. The area is light residential, active agriculture, open space and dense woodland.

M/P = 010//009

Building Typology

• New England

Materials

• Board & Batten
• Concrete
• Fieldstone
• Flush-board
• Horizontal Siding
• Other
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

n/a

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

928 S.F.

Date Compiled

08/03/2010

Compiled By

Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust

Sources

Photographs and field notes by David Bull.

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 Columbia, CT, retrieved on August 3, 2010 from website www.zillow.com.

Town of Columbia assessors office, 323 Route 87, Columbia, CT 06237.