Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

• National Register

Historic Significance

Historical Background:

The Ramsdell Farm was located on the west side of West Thompson Lake. The house was occupied by the Ramsdell family since its purchase in 1825 by Hezekiah Ramsdell, the itinerant Methodist minister. After the devastating floods of 1955 the U.S. Government planned flood control projects to prevent future disasters. The entire town of West Thompson was needed in order to construct a dam and flood plain on the Quinebaug River. Land was acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through eminent domain. Only one resident fought to save her family’s land, Alice Ramsdell, who greeted the corps with a shotgun. Refusing to leave, an agreement was finally met whereby Alice remained on the property paying a small land lease every month until her death in 1995. The buildings were removed but the foundation of the Ramsdell house still remains on the west side of the lake, directly off of Old Ravenelle Road.

Field Notes

National Register Nomination gives Ramsdell Road as the address. LENGTH: 40 WIDTH: 36 HEIGHT (Sill to plate): 14 BARN FORM: Gable Entrance Basement Barn ROOF FORM: Gable Rafter Overhang minimal ROOF PITCH (GABLE): Depressed SHEATHING: Vertical, one length, ends overlapped BENT TYPE (ala Glassie): Continuous tie beam ends only Sectional tie beam ROOF FRAME: Ridge Pole, board Rafters spliced at purlin Rafters Squared, sawn FRAMED ELEMENTS: Hewed Wood Species, chestnut and oak Braces & small girts sawn

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• unknown

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Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Stone Walls

Environment features

• Open Land
• Rural
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

n/a

Building Typology

• New England
• Other Shed

Materials

• Fieldstone
• Vertical Siding

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Structural System

• Load-bearing Masonry
• Post & Beam

Roof materials

• Other

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Roof type

• Gable

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Approximate Dimensions

36 x 40 feet

Date Compiled

12/26/2006

Compiled By

Todd Levine - CH

Sources

Atwood, Kathleen A., Ramsdell, Hezekiah S., Farmstead National Register Nomination No. 90000442, National Park Service, 1990.
Note: Kathleen Atwood was in 1989 an archaeologist for the Army Corp of Engineers, based in Waltham MA.

Quinebaug River Water Trail, Thompson Section,
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/wtl/wtlQRWT.htm