Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

• National Register
• State Register

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 ½ - story three-bay eave-entry barn with a cross-gable wall-dormer centered on its north eave-side. The ridge line of the main gable-roof of the barn runs east-west parallel to Main Street. The three-bay north eave-side of the barn facing the road is the main façade with the present main entrance off-centered towards the west through a pair of hinged pass-through doors flanked by a four-pane window towards its west. Both the main entrance and the window are contained in a double-height frame with elaborate lintel trim which appears to be the frame of an original wagon door entrance to the barn. A signboard displaying ‘The village antiques and collectibles’ can be seen above decorative frame. The façade has a second entrance off-centered towards the east through a double-height hinged pass-through door with decorative panel inserts and trim at the lintel level. A hay-door with similar decorative panels and lintel trim can be seen centered above the two entrances. The cross-gable wall-dormer of the barn is lined by cornice board and has returning eaves with a quadripartite ocular window centered just below the apex. The west gable-end of the barn has a six-over-six double-hung sash window centered at the first floor level while the pediment gable-attic is lined by cornice board with elaborate raking details. The wooden frame of the barn is raised on coursed stone masonry foundation visible along the west gable-end and the south eave-side to allow free flow of the river beneath. The three-bay south eave-side of the barn has two six-over-six double-hung sash windows towards the west. The east gable-end of the barn has an entrance towards the extreme south through a hinged pass-through door with decorative panel inserts. Three single-pane square window inserts can be seen equally spaced at the center of the east gable-end, with higher lintel level than the pass-through door. The pediment gable-attic is lined by cornice board with elaborate raking details and has a quadripartite ocular window centered just below the apex of the roof. The gable-roof of the barn has an elaborate louvered cupola centered at the cross-gable intersection.

The wooden frame of the barn is supported on raised coursed stone masonry foundation to allow free flow of the river beneath. The barn has asphalt shingles roofing and yellow horizontal siding with green painted corner boards and trims.

Historical significance:

Andrew Baldwin House, the main residence associated with the carriage house is contributing to North Stonington Village National Register District. [NRIS 83001289]

Until the 1830s, the horses used for riding and driving carriages were often kept in the main barn along with the other farm animals. By the 1850s, some New England farmers built separate horse stables and carriage houses. Early carriage houses were built just to shelter a carriage and perhaps a sleigh, but no horses. The pre-cursor to the twentieth-century garage, these outbuildings are distinguished by their large hinged doors, few windows, and proximity to the dooryard.
The combined horse stable and carriage house continued to be a common farm building through the second half of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century, until automobiles became common. Elaborate carriage houses were also associated with gentlemen farms and country estates of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another form of carriage barn, the urban livery stable, served the needs of tradespeople.

Field Notes

2011 Barns Grant pre-app. Contributing, Andrew Baldwin House, Federal, 1819, 2 ½ - story frame, good condition, 5-bay facade with central entrance; Mid-19th century porch extends length of façade; Gable end has pediment with fan-shaped gable window. Also on lot is a mid 19th century carriage house and a 19th century school house relocated from outside the village area.[NRIS 83001289]

Use (Historic)

• carriage barn

Use (Present)

• re-use

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Cupola
• Other
• Shed
• Stone Walls

Environment features

• Commercial
• Residential
• Rural

Relationship to surroundings

The .37 acres property, Account number- L9910000 and Parcel number- 109-1517 is a corner plot located towards the southwest of the intersection of Main Street and Wyassup Road. It is located towards the south of Main Street which takes a right angle turn southwards to form the eastern edge of the plot. The property is contributing to North Stonington Village National Register District and is situated in a predominantly residential area of historical character with individual plots separated by woodland. Residential plots can be seen towards the west, south, east and the north across Main Street. North Stonington Town Hall, Nursery School and small commercial units can be seen towards further southeast, along Main Street.

The barn is located in the northwestern corner of the property abutting to Main Street. The ridge line of the barn runs east-west parallel to this portion of the road. A shed is located towards the immediate east of the barn while the circa 1819 Federal style main residence is located towards further east. A gable-roof outbuilding with its ridge line running north-south is located towards the further east while a garden and stone walls can be seen in the northeast corner. A river flows along the southern edge of the property and leaves the property just beneath the barn. 

Building Typology

• Carriage House

Materials

• Fieldstone
• Horizontal Siding

Structural System

• Load-bearing Masonry
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

n/a

Date Compiled

05/13/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Field notes and photographs provided by: Frank A. Limpert, Jr.

Barn Grant Pre-application,2011.

Assessors information and GIS map retrieved on June 26th, 2011 from the website http://www.northstoningtongis.com/

Plummer Dale S, North Stonington Village National Register District, National Register Nomination Number- 83001289 NRIS, National Park Service, 1983.
http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/83001289.pdf
http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/83001289.pdf

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 26th, 2011 from website http://www.google.com

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 26th, 2011 from website http://www.bing.com.

Photograph/Information retrieved on June 26th, 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.