Building Name (Common)

Nathan Hale Homestead barn

Building Name (Historic)

Nathan Hale Homestead barn

Address

2299 South Street
Coventry  

Historic Significance

Architectural description: While the site has a number of significant outbuildings, the most prominent one is a 2 story side- or eave-entry bank barn. The ridge of the barn is perpendicular to South Street. The north west facade has a pair of hinged swinging doors with what appears to be original hardware in the center bay. The northern-most bay has two small three-over-three pane windows. It appears as if the last few feet of the vertical siding of this facade had been replaced. The south west gable end is featureless except for a small vent just under the apex and a louvered vent in the un-mortared field-stone foundation. The north east gable end has a matching vent under the apex and also a hooded sliding door on the eastern corner. The south east eave facade has a small sliding door in the middle bay.

Historical significance: The oldest barns still found in the state are called the "English Barn,” "side-entry barn,, or a "30 x 40." It is a simple building with a rectangular plan, pitched 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, 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.

Swinging hinged doors on English barns are usually original, as sliding doors weren't widely used until the mid 19th century. Barn footings and foundations were usually built of stone, often harvested from nearby fields or quarried from local outcroppings.

The earliest type of field stone foundations found in Connecticut do not use mortar, as early builders thought it unnecessary.

The Nathan Hale Homestead was the home of the family of State Hero, Nathan Hale. Constructed in 1776, the current house is the second dwelling built on the property. Nathan’s father, Richard Hale, was a prosperous livestock farmer and built the house for his large family. Six of Richard’s eight sons served in the patriot army. One son, Captain Nathan Hale, was caught and hanged as a spy at age 21 by the British in September of 1776. Although sold out of the Hale family in the 1820s, the house has remained virtually intact. The house was first restored by George Dudley Seymour, who saved it in the early 20th century. The house was deeded to Connecticut Landmarks (Antiquarian & Landmarks Society) in the 1940s. Much of the acreage associated with the Hale farm, is now the Nathan Hale State Forest.

Field Notes

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places 10/22/1970. Museum seasonally open to the public, farmer's market on site. Two English barns, an outhouse, corn crib, and one other small outbuilding.