Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 1/2-story, gable-entry bank barn. The main facade faces east and the ridge-line of the barn is perpendicular to this portion of Blueberry Hill Road, which runs north-south. The main entry is a hooded, exterior sliding door towards the south corner of the east gable-facade of the barn. The track extends to the north. The rest of the facade is blank except for a window beneath the apex of the roof. The grade at the south eave-side of the barn declines, revealing a mortared field-stone foundation. The main level of the south eave-side of the barn has three six-pane windows; one toward the east corner, and two others equally spaced off-center towards the east. The two windows are higher on the eave-side than the single window. The basement level has at least one window. The concrete block masonry basement level of the west gable-end of the barn has a wide side-hinged door off-center to the north. To the north of the door is a recessed window with trim. To the south of the door is a set of three recessed windows with trim. The rest of the west gable-end of the barn is blank except for a six-pane window beneath the apex of the roof. A retaining concrete wall extends north from the northwest corner of the barn. The grade inclines sharply at the north eave-side of the barn. The north eave-side of the barn appears to have a centered entry in the main level with a hay door above. The barn has vertical board siding painted red. The roof has a projecting overhang with exposed purlins and is covered with ashpalt shingles. The foundation is mortared field-stone and concrete block masonry.

Historical significance:

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. With the main drive floor running parallel to the ridge, the size of the barn could be increased to accommodate larger herds by adding additional bays to the rear gable end. 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.

The 19th century also saw the introduction of a basement under the barn to allow for the easy collection and storage of a winter’s worth of manure from the animals sheltered within the building. The bank barn is characterized by the location of its main floor above grade, either through building on a hillside or by raising the building on a foundation. This innovation, aided by the introduction of windows for light and ventilation, would eventually be joined by the introduction of space to shelter more animals under the main floor of the barn.

Field Notes

Barn located fifty feet from farmhouse built in 1790, adjacent to a Blue Trail (public hiking). Shown on 1874 map as being owned by M.L. English. Later owned by Harry and Francis Kirkwood. Most recent photograph shows the barn in its restored condition (Fall 2012).

Use (Historic)

• dairy

Use (Present)

• poultry

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Original Site

Related features

• Other
• Shed

Environment features

• Active Agriculture
• Open Land
• Residential
• Rural
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The barn is besides and to the north of the c.1790 house with which it is associated. The ridge-line of the house is perpendicular to the ridge-line of the barn. The total size of the site is 2.08 acres. To the southwest of the house is a hipped roof shed. To the south of the house is a fenced in yard. To the west of the house appears to be a man-made pond or pool. Both the house and the barn front Blueberry Hill Road. To the west of the barn is a tract of open space. The area surrounding the site is scattered residential, light agriculture, light open space and woodland.

MBLU : E3/ 02/ 0203/ /

BRN1 BARN - 1 STORY 800 S.F. 3910

Building Typology

• New England Bank

Materials

• Concrete Block
• Fieldstone
• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Post & Beam
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable

Approximate Dimensions

25 ft x 35 ft

Date Compiled

12/16/2010

Compiled By

Todd Levine, reviewed by the Connecticut Trust

Sources

Field notes by Allan Pugliese and Beverly Mosher.

Map of Harwinton, CT, retrieved on December 16, 2010 from website 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.

Vision Appraisal Online Database. www.visionappraisal.com/harwintonct.