Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a three barn complex towards the south of Allyn Road with Barn-I towards the south. Barn-II and Barn-III are arranged towards its northeast with their eave-sides facing each other. The ridge line of Barn-I runs east-west parallel to the road while those of Barn-II and Barn-III run north-south, parallel to each other but perpendicular to the road. The following is the description of Barn-I and Barn-II while Barn-III is discussed in http://www.connecticutbarns.org/index.cgi/38032.

Barn-I: This is a 1 ½ - story eave-entry barn with a shed-roof addition encompassing the entire length of its east gable-end. The north eave-side of the barn facing Allyn Road is the main façade with the main entrance at the center through a pair of double X-braced exterior-hung double-height sliding wagon doors. The gable roof of the main barn has a louvered ridge vent at the center.
The wooden frame of the barn is supported on field-stone masonry foundation. The barn has asphalt shingle roofing and red painted vertical siding walls with white trim.

Barn-II: This is a 1 ½ - story three-bay eave-entry barn with its north gable-end facing Allyn Road. The main façade of the barn is the three-bay west eave-façade with the main entrance in the middle bay through a pair of double X-braced exterior-hung double-height sliding wagon doors. A six-pane stable window can be seen towards the north of the main wagon door entrance. The north and the south gable-ends of the barn appear to be blank. The east eave-side of the barn has two closely placed six-pane windows with frame towards the north. The gable roof of the barn has a weather vane at the center mounted above a hip-roof cupola.
The wooden frame of the barn has asphalt shingle roofing and red painted vertical siding with white trim.

Historical significance:

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

Several buildings; active animal husbandry - bison. Extensive grazing fields; house with stone walls; occupied by 4th generation in the Sidell family Documented 7/3/10 (Spoke to family member) Also see part - 2/2: http://www.connecticutbarns.org/index.cgi/38032.

Use (Historic)

• animals, not listed

Use (Present)

• agriculture

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Barn
• Cupola

Environment features

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

Relationship to surroundings

The 6 acres property, account number - 00208200, map & lot number- 08/010 / 003/00 /, is a corner plot located towards the south of Allyn Road and the east of Turkey Hollow Lane. The property is situated in a pre-dominantly residential area surrounded by parcels of open land and dense woodland. The property is flanked by residential plots towards the east, south, west and north, across the roads. The edges of the property are defined are cluster of trees while dense woodland covers the area towards the southeast of the property.

The building complex including the three barns and the main residence is located towards the northern edge of the plot. The circa 1800 main residence is located towards the northwest with Barn-I located towards the south. The ridge lines of both Barn-I and the main residence runs east-west parallel to the road. Barn-II is located towards the southeast of the main residence while Barn-III is located towards further southeast. The ridge lines of Barn-II and Barn-III run north-south, parallel to each other but perpendicular to the road. A pool can be seen towards the southwest of the main residence. The property has parcels of open land towards the east, west and south of the building complex with timber fencing in the northeast corner.

Building Typology

• English

Materials

• Fieldstone
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Load-bearing Masonry
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable
• Shed

Approximate Dimensions

Barn: 209 SqFt; Garage: 1968 SqFt; Stable: 1216 SqFt; Pool: 576 SqFt; Barn with basement: 3154 SqFt; Garage: 160 SqFt; Garage: 960 SqFt.

Date Compiled

03/01/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Photographs and field notes provided by Lynne Williamson 10/03/2010. Additional photographs by C. Hitchcock 8/19/2011.

Assessors’ records retrieved on March 1st, 2011 from website http://data.visionappraisal.com/GoshenCT/

Photograph/Information retrieved on March 1st, 2011 from website http://www.google.com

Photograph/Information retrieved on March 1st, 2011 from website http://www.Zillow.com

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.