Historic Barns of Connecticut

Designations

n/a

Historic Significance

Architectural description:

This is a 1 ½ - story gable-entry barn with a 1 – story four-bay gable-roof addition on its west gable-end. The gable-roof addition has a salt-box roof addition encompassing the entire length of its north eave-side. The ridge lines of both the barn and the gable-roof addition run east-west perpendicular to this portion of Jerome Avenue. The east gable-end of the barn facing the road is the main façade with the main entrance towards the north through an exterior-hung sliding wagon door. The façade has a twelve-pane window towards the south of the main entrance. The gable attic lined by deep soffit has a series of five closely spaced three-pane windows at the center. The south eave-side of the barn has four equally spaced twelve-pane windows with trim at the sill level. The west gable-end of the barn appears to have a window just below the apex of the roof and a chimney off-centered towards the north. The north eave-side of the barn has a similar twelve-pane towards the west.   

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

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, as both types continued to be built.

Field Notes

House built in 1740. New England barn with addition at the back. Located in a residential area under development.

Use (Historic)

• agriculture

Use (Present)

• unknown

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Demolished

n/a

Location Integrity

Unknown

Related features

• Barn

Environment features

• Residential
• Woodland

Relationship to surroundings

The .52 acres property, Account number – 0116734 and Map-Lot-unit number - 56/ / 46A/ /, is located towards the west of Jerome Avenue. The property is situated in a predominantly residential area with individual plots separated by woodland and open land. Dense woodland surrounds the property towards the immediate north and the south while residential plots can be seen towards further north, south and the east, across the road. The open land towards the west of the property is also covered by cluster of trees.

The barn complex is located in the northwest corner of the property with the ridge line of the main barn running east-west, perpendicular to Jerome Avenue. The circa 1740 colonial main residence is located towards the southeast of the barn abutting to the road. The property is accessed by a driveway from the northeast corner of the property and continues west approaching the barn and surrounding the main residence.

Building Typology

• New England

Materials

• Vertical Siding

Structural System

• Wood Frame

Roof materials

• Asphalt Shingle

Roof type

• Gable
• Saltbox

Approximate Dimensions

Barn: 440 Sqft; Shed: 740 Sqft;

Date Compiled

04/29/2011

Compiled By

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

Sources

Field notes and photographs provided by: Cherie Robinson, 03/08/2011.

Assessors’ records retrieved on April 29th, 2011 from website http://data.visionappraisal.com/BristolCT/DEFAULT.asp.
 
Photograph/Information retrieved on April 29th, 2011 from website http://www.google.com .

Photograph/Information retrieved on April 29th, 2011 from website http://www.bing.com .

Photograph/Information retrieved on April 29th, 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.