Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a gable-entry semi-subterranean barn with its east gable-side facing Graham Road. The ridge line of the barn runs east-west perpendicular to the road. The main façade of the barn is the east gable-façade with the main dormer entrance at the center through a gable-roof dormer entrance. The gable-ends of the main east able-façade and the dormer entrance are lined by cornice board with raking detail. The loose earth on either side of the main entrance is retained by the cement plastered masonry side walls of the dormer entrance and un-coursed un-mortared field stone masonry. The north and the south eave-sides of the barn are not visible with their eave-lines almost touching the grade level.

The super structure of the barn has white painted horizontal siding and asphalt shingle roofing.

Historical Significance:

Potato houses or storage barns come in many different shapes and sizes all linked by the common goal of keeping harvested potatoes at a constant temperature and in the dark. The most traditional of these are characterized by a semi-subterranean arrangement.

Field Notes

According to the current owner the building was constructed around 1905 and expanded around 1945. The storage building is one of a number of buildings in the main complex that serves Mulnite Farms large agricultural holdings.

Use (Historic)

• potato

Use (Present)

• storage

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Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Active Agriculture
• Barn
• Complex
• Fields

Environment features

• Open Land
• Residential
• Rural
• Scattered Buildings
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The property is located towards the west of Graham Road and the north of the residential plot, 14 Graham Road, Map Number - 41 66 002. The property is located in a predominantly residential area of rural character and is part of a number of buildings in the main complex that serves Mulnite Farms large agricultural holdings.

The barn is towards the eastern edge of the property abutting to Graham Road. The ridge line of the barn runs east-west perpendicular to the road. The main residence of 14 Graham Road can be seen towards the south-west of the barn while other storage building of Mulnite Farms can be seen towards the north.

Building Typology

• Other Shed

Materials

• Concrete
• Fieldstone
• Horizontal Siding

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Structural System

• Balloon Frame
• Load-bearing Masonry
• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

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Roof type

• Gable

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Approximate Dimensions

50x38;50x38 (100x38 in total)

Date Compiled

11/18/2010

Compiled By

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

Sources

Field notes and photographs provided by James Sexton

Assessors’ records retrieved on November 18th, 2010 from website http://www.equalitycama.com/ 

GIS information retrieved on November 18th, 2010 from website http://www.crcog.org/gissearch/

Photograph/Information retrieved on November 18th, 2010 from website http://www.google.com

Information retrieved on November 18th, 2010 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.