Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

• State Historic Resource Inventory

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 ½ - story barn with entries from both the gable-end and the eave-side. The ridge line of the barn runs north-south perpendicular to this portion of the Williams Road. The north gable-end of the barn facing the road is the main façade with two main entrances through two pairs of X-braced hinged wagon doors. The gable attic lined by cornice board is separated from the rest of the gable-end by a distinct dropped girt siding divide line and has a six-pane window with trim just below the apex of the roof. The east eave-side of the barn has an entrance towards the north through an exterior-hung hooded sliding pass-through door and three framed single-pane windows equally spaced towards the south. A top-hung sliding hay door can be seen on the east eave-side towards the extreme south, just below the eave-level. The east eave-side of the barn has low grade level exposing a margin of exposed concrete foundation. The south gable-end of the barn has also has a margin of exposed concrete foundation along the grade level with a distinct dropped girt siding divide line separating the gable attic. The gable attic lined by cornice board has two recently added single-pane vertical windows taking after the profile of the apex of the roof. The west eave-side of the barn has four equally spaced single-pane windows with trim.

The wooden frame of the barn is supported on concrete foundation. The barn has asphalt shingles roofing and red painted board-and-batten siding apart from the south gable-end which is left un-painted.

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 New England barn or gable front barn was the successor to the English barn and relies on a gable entry rather than an entry under the eaves. The gable front offers many practical advantages. Roofs drain off the side, rather than flooding the dooryard. Although it was seen by many as an improvement over the earlier side entry English Barn, the New England barn did not replace its predecessor but rather coexisted with it. It this case, both an eave entry and a gable entry are used.

Field Notes

There are very few historic structures present in New Fairfield today, particularly barns. Per the State Historic Resource Inventory, this barn dates to the late 1800s. Town records indicate the legendary Barnum family owned the property at that time. The barn was subdivided into a neighboring lot in the early 1970s; the neighboring family (still next door today) sold it to the then-owner of the property in the mid 1970s for $200, and assisted in the disassembly and reconstruction at its current location. Some modifications were made then, most notably the addition of non-period windows in the rear of the barn. The barn is companion to a circa 1800s Federal colonial on the property. Barn sits roughly 60 feet back from road. Front of barn faces road with prominent view from street. Barn is diagonally to the right and rear of the c. 1800 house. 2011 Barns Grant pre-application.

Use (Historic)

• animals, not listed

Use (Present)

• workspace

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Stone Walls

Environment features

• Residential
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The 1.14 acres property, Account Number- 00602300 and Map number- 23/ 8/ 25.1/ / /, is located towards the south of Williams Road. The property is located in a residential area with individual plots separated by woodland. Residential plots flank the property towards the east, west and the north across the road while a patch of woodland buffers it from the residences towards the south.

The barn is located along the western edge of the property offset from the road. The ridge line of the barn runs north-south perpendicular to this portion of Williams Road. The circa 1800 colonial main residence of the property is located towards the northeast of the barn, nearer to the road. The property is accessed by a driveway towards the west of the main residence which continues southwards approaching the barn. The barn has open land towards its immediate east and the south.

Building Typology

• English
• English/New England Hybrid

Materials

• Board & Batten
• Concrete

Structural System

• Load-bearing Masonry
• Post & Beam
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

24' long x 20'5" wide x 20' high [500 SqFt]

Date Compiled

06/22/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Field notes and photographs provided by: Stacey Kenny, 02/15/2011.

Additional information compiled by Kristen Young from 2011 Barn Grants Pre-application: New Fairfield Historical Society, Preserve New Fairfield, Oral interview with Irene Wejchert and State Historic Resource Inventory.

Assessors’ records retrieved on June 22nd, 2011 from website http://data.visionappraisal.com/NewfairfieldCT/DEFAULT.asp

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 22nd, 2011 from website http://www.google.com

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 22nd, 2011 from website http://www.bing.com.

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 22nd, 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.