Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

• National Register
• State Register

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 1/2 story eave-entry workshop with a late garage addition. The main facade faces roughly west and the ridge-line is nearly parallel to this portion of Route 87, which runs approximately southeast-northwest. The main entries are two overhead garage doors in the southern, later portion of the structure. Set back from the garage doors on the west eave-face is the older portion of the structure, which is blank except for the exposed un-mortared field-stone foundation. The north gable-facade of the structure has a centered pass-through door. The east eave-facade of the structure is blank on both the original portion and the newer portion, which bumps out toward the east. The structure has clapboards painted white. The original portion of the structure has an un-mortared field-stone foundation. The newer portion has a concrete block masonry foundation. The roof has asphalt shingles.

Historical significance:

Known as the shop, workshop, carpentry shop, toolshed, blacksmith shop, or machine shop, these small, well-lighted buildings provide a heated space for making and repairing furnishings, tools, and equipment, as well as for earning outside income through various trades. Typically 1 1/2 stories with a gabled front, and easily accessible doorway, and windows all around, most shops have a chimney for venting a cast iron rood or coal stove.

Field Notes

Columbia Green NR Historic District Inventory description: House, c.1860, 1 1/2 stories, 5-bay 2 1 facade, aluminum siding, modern windows, awnings (Photograph 20). Garage made over from old barn, modern garage. Part of barn to left of garage is very old and made with pegs, no nails. Was once used as a tailor shop.

Use (Historic)

• workspace

Use (Present)

• garage

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Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Barn
• Shed
• Stone Walls

Environment features

• Residential
• Rural
• Scattered Buildings
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The workshop/garage is to the south and next to the house it is associated with. The ridge-line of the house is parallel to the ridge-lone of the workshop/garage. To the south of the workshop/garage is a gable-roofed shed. To the north of the house is a stone wall. The total size of the site is 1.34 acres. The area is residential and woodland. 

M/P = 023//001

Building Typology

• Other Shed

Materials

• Clapboard
• Fieldstone

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Structural System

• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

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Roof type

• Gable

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Approximate Dimensions

140 S.F.

Date Compiled

08/01/2010

Compiled By

Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust

Sources

Photographs and field notes by Janice Thibodeau.

Clouette, Bruce, Roth, Matthew, Columbia Green National Register Historic District No. 90001759, National Park Service, 1990.

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 1, 2010 from website www.zillow.com.

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