Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 ½ - story three-bay eave-entry barn. The ridge line of the barn runs east-west parallel to this portion of Stony Creek Road. The south eave-side of the barn faces Stony creek Road while the north eave-side facing the school is the main façade. The original main entrance to the barn appears to be centered in the north eave-facade through a double-height wagon door entrance as evident from the trim just below the eave-level. The present main entrance to the barn is also centered in the middle bay of the three-bay north eave-façade through a pair of double-height hinged wagon doors inserted in a frame. The first bay from the west also has an entrance through a pair of double-height hinged wagon doors with trim at higher lintel level while a hinged pass-through door can be seen on the facade towards the extreme east. A signboard displaying ‘Wightwood’ is centered above the two wagon door entrances. The east gable-end of the barn has a window towards the north and another window with higher lintel level towards the south which appears to be two-pane. The gable attic lined by cornice board is separated from the rest of the gable-end by a distinct dropped girt siding divide line. The south eave-side of the barn facing the road has an entrance off-centered towards the east through a pair of exterior-hung horse-shoe track sliding wagon doors. A banner displaying the name of the school ‘The Pine Brook School’ can be seen above the wagon door entrance. The west gable-end of the barn appears to have a window off-centered towards the north near the grade level. The gable attic lined by cornice board is separated from the rest of the gable-end by a distinct dropped girt siding divide line.

The wooden frame of the barn has asphalt shingle roofing and red painted vertical siding walls.

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

The former Wightwood School, 56 Stony Creek Road Barn moved in 1971 for construction of school building (Shelley Sprague interview) Deed research done by Jane Bouley The property at 56 Stony Creek Road was owned by three generations of the Creem family. At the decease of Catherine Creem in 1971 it was sold to Wightwood School. The area was considered part of Damascus and the Branford Directories, which begin in 1895 state that Daniel Creem was a farmer at Damascus. In later directories their address is given as Stony Creek Road near the railroad tracks. The street address of 56 was not used until 1964. Daniel Creem: a native of Ireland, to Branford in 1879, was a farmer at Damascus, died 21 Sept 1901. wife was Bridgett Carroll who died 11 May 1911. he purchased the property at 56 Stony Creek Road in 1892 from James and Margaret Eagan. son Daniel J. Creem resided at #56 until his death 24 May 1928. his wife Katherine Keehan continued to live here until her death 1 Feb 1962. Catherine R. Creem daughter of Daniel J. & Katherine unmarried, lived at the house until her death in December 1971. deeds concerning the property - number refers to the volume and page in the Branford land records - 29:279 (30 June 1864)- John R. and Matilda Walker to James Eagan of Branford, 19 acres more or less: N Henry William and Abraham Howd; E Elijah and Julia Hall; S highway; W John Bishop and Henry Hoadley; no buildings are mentioned on the property. the Eagans purchased other pieces to make 32 acres total.

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• unknown

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Moved

Related features

• Barn
• Other

Environment features

• Residential
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The 2.74 acres property, Account number – 011206 and Parcel number- H07/000/002/00004, is located within the compound of Pine Brook School towards the north of Stony Creek Road. The property is located in a predominantly residential area with individual plots separated by woodland. Residential plots flank the property on its west and the south, across the road while the area towards the north and the east is covered by dense woodland.

The barn is located along the southern edge of the property with its ridge line running east-west, parallel to this portion of Stony Creek Road. The main school building is located towards the north of the barn while a residence is located towards its east. The property is accessed by a driveway from its southeast corner that continues west separating the barn and the school building. Small play areas flank the main school building on its east and west while a stream of water flows diagonally separating the northwest corner of the property. The southern edge of the property is demarcated by white painted wooden fence. 

Building Typology

• English

Materials

• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

n/a

Date Compiled

05/18/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Field notes provided by: Charlotte Hitchcock, 03/20/2011.

Assessors’ information retrieved on May 18th, 2011 from website http://data.visionappraisal.com/BranfordCT/search.asp.

GIS Map retrieved on May 18th, 2011 from website http://www.branfordgis.com/AGS_MAP/default.htm

Photograph/Information retrieved on May 18th, 2011 from website http://www.google.com

Photograph/Information retrieved on May 18th, 2011 from website http://www.bing.com.

Photograph/Information retrieved on May 18th, 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.