Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 ½ - story three-bay eave-entry barn with a gable-roof addition on its east gable-end. The ridge lines of both the main barn and the gable-roof addition run east-west perpendicular to East Street North. The east gable-end of the gable-roof addition faces the road while the three-bay south eave-side of the main barn flush with the south eave-side of the gable-roof addition is the main façade. The main entrance to the barn is on the south eave-side of the gable-roof addition towards the east through a pair of hinged wagon doors with vertical boards. A single-pane square window insert can be seen towards the east of the main entrance. The façade has a second entrance towards the western edge of the three-bay south eave-side of the main barn through a pair of hinged wagon doors which appears to be separated from the main entrance by three single-pane windows. The west gable-end of the gable-roof addition has two closely spaced windows at the center with the gable attic separated by a distinct dropped girt siding divide line. The gable attic has a vertical eight-pane window at the center with a sign board below it displaying the plot number as ‘109’ and the name of the farm as ‘KINCAID’S’. The gable roof of the main barn has a louvered cupola at the center and a metal vent towards the east.

The wooden frames of both the main barn and the gable-roof addition have asphalt shingle roofing. The main barn has red painted vertical siding walls while the gable-roof addition has red painted board-and-batten. 

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

Quiet rural road; older house; newer house next door Interview with owner Concetta Kincaid: She and husband bought it 57 years ago from Pauls (NYC summer home) Originally had cow trenches in barn Still a working farm - Goshen farmer plants fields for hay About 10 years ago they put a new roof on Concetta and husband Donald (still alive, not well) originally from Torrington

Use (Historic)

• animals, not listed

Use (Present)

• agriculture

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Cupola
• Other
• Shed

Environment features

• Open Land
• Residential
• Rural
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The 26.94 acres plot, account number - 00012900 and map & lot number- 04/010 / 028/00 /, is located towards the west of East Street North. It is situated in a pre-dominantly residential area of rural character with residential plots flanking the property towards the north and the south. Parcels of open land can be seen towards the east of the road across East Street N, while dense woodland covers the area towards the west. East cemetery is located towards the northeast corner of the property.

The barn is located towards the eastern edge of the property with its ridge line running east-west perpendicular to East Street North. The circa 1830 main residence is located towards the south of the barn while a small gable-roof shed can be seen towards its southwest. Cluster of trees can be seen towards the immediate west and the northeast of the barn, separating it from East Cemetery. The property has open land towards west with dense woodland demarcating the edges.

Building Typology

• English

Materials

• Board & Batten
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Post & Beam

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

Garage: 460 SqFt; Barn: 1400 SqFt; Shed: 144 SqFt; Workshop: 345 SqFt

Date Compiled

02/23/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Photographs and field notes provided by Lynne Williamson.

Assessors’ records retrieved on February 23rd, 2011 from website http://data.visionappraisal.com/GoshenCT/

Photograph/Information retrieved on February 23rd, 2011 from website http://www.google.com

Photograph/Information retrieved on February 23rd, 2011 from website http://www.bing.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.