Barn Record Somers
RETURN TO ‘FIND BARNS’
- Overview
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Designations
Historic Significance
Architectural description:
This is a 1 1/2 story tripartite barn with a gable-roofed addition. The main facade faces west and the ridge-line of the barn is perpendicular to this portion of Main street, which runs approximately east-west. The main entry is a pair of double-height hinged doors in the middle of three bays. The south leaf has a weather door. Above the entry is a transom. The south bay has a pass-through door towards the south corner and two four-pane windows. Each window has trim and a flower box. The south half of the north bay has one window with trim and a pass-through door close to the middle bay. The north half of the north bay has a gable-roofed addition with its gable-facade extending to the west. A large open bay encompasses the south eave-facade of the addition. The north eave-facade of the addition is flush with the north gable-facade of the main barn. The north gable-facade of the barn has four windows across the main level. A smaller window is in the gable attic. The east eave-facade is blank except for a single window in the middle bay and a single window in the south bay. The south gable-facade of the barn has a set of two six-pane windows centered on the east half of the facade and a single twelve-pane window centered on the west half of the facade. All three window have trim and flower boxes. A single six-pane window with trim is centered in the gable attic. The barn has vertical flush-board painted white with green trim. The roof has a projecting overhang and asphalt shingles.
Historical significance:Listed as a contributing resource in the Somers National Register of Historic Places Historic District.
The oldest barns still found in the state are called the “English Barn,” “side-entry barn,” “eave entry,” or a 30 x 40. They are simple buildings with rectangular plan, pitched gable roof, and a door or doors located on one or both of the eave sides of the building based on the grain warehouses of the English colonists’ homeland. The name “30 by 40” originates from its size (in feet), which was large enough for 1 family and could service about 100 acres. The multi-purpose use of the English barn is reflected by the building’s construction in three distinct bays - one for each use. The middle bay was used for threshing, which is separating the seed from the stalk in wheat and oat by beating the stalks with a flail. The flanking bays would be for animals and hay storage.
Field Notes
Building located on the north side of Rt. 190. Barn is now a flower shop. From the NR nomination: 611 Main, CLAUDIUS PEASE HOUSE, 1795 with Greek Revival details; 2^ stories, 5-bay facade, two large brick chimneys, full return of cornice across gable ends, trabeated gable window, plain pilsters, sidelighted doorway, long windows in front, porch partway across, wing to east; 19th-century barn with attached cart-shed.
- Use & Accessibility
Use (Historic)
Use (Present)
Exterior Visible from Public Road?
No
Demolished
n/a
Location Integrity
Unknown
- Environment
Related features
Environment features
Relationship to surroundings
The barn is to the northeast of the house it is associated with. The ridge-line of the house is perpendicular to the ridge-line of the house. A paved parking lot is in between the house and barn. To the north of the barn is a greenhouse. Further north is a small shed. Further still is a large tract of open space. The lot size of this address is 3.30 acres. To the west of the site is a church with a large paved parking lot. The area is residential, commercial, some open space and woodland.
- Typology & Materials
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Building Typology
Materials
Structural System
n/a
Roof materials
Roof type
Approximate Dimensions
1484 SF
- Source
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Date Compiled
08/15/2010
Compiled By
Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust
Sources
Photographs and field notes by Dianne B. Lenti.
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 Somers, CT, retrieved on August 15, 2010 from website www.zillow.com.
Vision Appraisal Online Database. www.visionappraisal.com/Somersct.
Clouette, Bruce, National Register of Historic Places Nomination #389687, 1982. Item No. 82004389 NRIS (National Register Information System)
http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/82004389.pdf
http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/82004389.pdf - PhotosClick on image to view full file
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