Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural Description:

This is a 1 ½ story saltbox-roof gable-entry barn with a chicken coop towards its east. The barn is in a corner plot with the western gable-façade facing Straits road and the northern eave-façade facing west Main Street. The saltbox roof of the barn has the ridge-line off-centered towards the north forming a lower eave-level along the southern eave-façade.  The western gable-façade is the main façade of the barn with the main entrance through two garage doors towards the south. A distinct girt siding divide line at the lower eave-level of the salt-box roof separates the gable attic. A sixteen-pane window with a white trim can be seen just below the apex of the roof. The southern eave-façade of the barn has four four-pane windows with white trim equally spaced along the façade. The eastern gable-façade of the barn has a distinct girt siding divide line with at least one six-pane window punctuating the gable attic towards the south.

The chicken coop along the eastern gable-façade of the barn has a saltbox-roof with its ridge-line off-centered towards the south forming a much lower eave-level along the northern eave-façade. The southern eave-façade of the chicken coop has a row of six six-over-six double-hung sliding windows with three arched-feeding holes near the grade level. A distinct siding divide line finished in saw-tooth detail can be seen just above the windows. The barn has a horizontal slit for ventilation along the southern eave-level with the roof above supported by series of brackets. Undulating grade level along the façade reveals field-stone masonry foundation towards the west. The eastern eave-façade of the chicken coop has a pass-through door towards the south and an arched feeding-hole near the grade level towards the north.

The wooden frames of the barn and the chicken coop are supported on field-stone foundation and have asphalt roofing. The main barn has red painted wood shingles on the wall with white trim while the chicken coop has red painted vertical siding walls.

Historical Significance:

Until the 1830s, the horses used for riding and driving carriages were often kept in the main barn along with the other farm animals. By the 1850s, some New England farmers built separate horse stables and carriage houses. Early carriage houses were built just to shelter a carriage and perhaps a sleigh, but no horses. The pre-cursor to the twentieth-century garage, these outbuildings are distinguished by their large hinged doors, few windows, and proximity to the dooryard. The combined horse stable and carriage house continued to be a common farm building through the second half of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century, until automobiles became common. Elaborate carriage houses were also associated with gentlemen farms and country estates of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another form of carriage barn, the urban livery stable, served the needs of tradespeople.

Poultry farming grew in popularity during the second half of the 19th century, and by the early 20th century most farms had small chicken coops. These lightly-built structures often feature a gabled or shed roof and large windows on the south side. Often chicken coops have a small stove and chimney for heat to protect young chicks during cold weather. Small openings near the ground provide the fowl with access to the yard. Inside are nesting boxes for the laying hens. During the 1930s and 1940s, poultry farming was adopted by many farmers in New England as a replacement for dairy farming.

Field Notes

This barn was built with the house, in about 1790. During the early 1800's this barn was used as a station on the stagecoach line where fresh horses were obtained. The barn is sided with shingles, painted red, with wood shingles on the roof. It has been altered with two garage doors in the front. A chicken coop addition on the back of the barn has vertical siding, decorative trim and wood shingled roof. [Source: Diane Lindsay]

Use (Historic)

• carriage barn

Use (Present)

• unknown

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

1

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Barn
• Other
• Shed
• Stone Walls

Environment features

• Residential
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The property is predominantly in a residential area separated by thick vegetation. It is a corner plot with Straits road defining the western edge and West Main Street forming the edge towards the north. The property is flanked by two water bodies on sides: Jennings Pond towards the south-east and Upper Pond towards the south-west.

The barn is located in the north-west corner of the property surrounded by thick vegetation. A boundary wall can be seen around the barn. The main 2 ½ story residence can be seen towards the south-east of the barn.

Building Typology

• Carriage House

Materials

• Fieldstone
• Vertical Siding
• Wood Shingle

Structural System

• Load-bearing Masonry
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable
• Saltbox

Approximate Dimensions

n/a

Date Compiled

07/11/2010

Compiled By

T. Levine and M. Patnaik, reviewed by CT Trust

Sources

Photographs and information provided by –
Diane Lindsay, DianeDaveLindsay@att.net

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