| Understanding Barns and Their History
Historic barns are preserved for a number of reasons. Some are
so well built that they remain useful even after a hundred years
or more. Many others are intimately connected with the families
who built them and the surrounding communities. Others reflect
developments in agricultural science or regional building types.
Before restoring a historic barn or rehabilitating it for a new
use, an owner should study the building thoroughly. This process
involves finding out when the barn was built, who built it, and
why. It means understanding how the building was changed through
the years. It means assessing the condition of the barn, and
understanding its components. This process has as its end an
appreciation of the building’s historic character, that
is, the sense of time and place associated with it. It is this
physical presence of the past that gives historic buildings their
significance.
To assess the historic character of a barn, an owner should study
old photographs, family records, deeds, insurance papers, and
other documents that might reveal the building's appearance and
history. Neighbors and former owners are often important sources
of information. Local libraries, historical societies and preservation
organizations are additional sources of help.
As part of this overall evaluation, the following elements should
be assessed for their contributions to the property. They are
the principal tangible.phpects of a barn's historic character,
and should be respected in any work done on it.
Setting is one of the primary factors contributing to the historic
character of a barn. Farmers built barns in order to help them
work the land; barns belong on farms, where they can be seen
in relation to the surrounding fields and other structures in
the farm complex. A barn crowded by suburbs is not a barn in
the same sense as is a barn clustered with other farm buildings,
or standing alone against a backdrop of cornfields. Hence, the
preservation of barns should not be divorced from the preservation
of the setting: farms and farmland, ranches and range, orchards,
ponds, fields, streams and country roads.
Other important elements of setting include fences, stone walls,
roads, paths, barnyards, corrals, and ancillary structures such
as windmills and silos. (Silos, indeed, have become so closely
associated with barns as nearly to have lost their “separate” identities.)
These features help place the building in the larger agricultural
context, relating it to its purpose in the overall rural setting.
The shape of barns, as with other buildings, is great importance
in conveying their character. (For round barns, the shape is
the defining feature of the type.) Often the form of a barn is
visible from a distance. Often, too, more than one side can be
seen at the same time, and from several different approaches.
As a general rule, the rear and sides of a barn are not as differentiated
from the front, or as subordinated to it, as in other buildings.
The roof is among the most important elements of building form.
Barns are no exception. The gable roof on Dutch and Prairie barns,
the cone-shaped, dome-shaped, eight or twelve-sided roof of round
barns, and the gambrel roof of the “typical” barn
are among the most prominent features on these buildings. A barn
roof can often be seen from a distance, and for this reason must
be considered a major feature.
Among the major impressions given by well-maintained historic
barns are those of strength, solidity and permanence. These impressions
largely result from the durability and ruggedness of the materials
used in them. Weathered wood siding, irregularly shaped stones,
or roughhewn logs on the exterior; dressed beams, posts scarred
by years of use, and plank flooring on the interior all contribute
to the special character of barns.
Unlike historic residential, industrial and commercial buildings,
barns generally have few openings for windows and doors. Yet
the openings found in barns are important both to their functioning
and to their appearance. Typically, large wagon doorways and
openings to the hayloft are among the most striking features
on barns. Not as prominent as these large openings, but important
from a functional perspective, are the ventilator slits found
on many barns. With important exceptions (dairy barns, for example),
windows are few, and are normally small. The relative absence
of openings for windows and doors adds to the overall impression
of massiveness and solidity conveyed by many historic barns,
and is one of the reasons why they often appear to be larger
than they are.
The impression received upon stepping into many historic barns
is that of space. Not infrequently, the entire building appears
as a single large space. To enter these buildings is sometimes
to experience the entire expanse of the building at once. Even
when haylofts and animal stalls “consume” part of
the building, they often do not keep the full expanse of the
interior from being seen. In large barns, this can be an imposing
sight. More commonly, the barn is a combination of confined spaces
on the lower floor and a large open space above; in this case,
the contrast between the confined and open spaces is also striking.
The openness of the interior, furthermore, often contrasts with
the “blankness” typical of many barn exteriors, with
their relatively few openings.
The exposed structural framework is a major component of the
character of most historic barns. Typically, barns were built
for strictly utilitarian purposes. Accordingly, barn builders
made no effort to conceal the structural system. Yet for that
very reason, barns achieve an authenticity that accounts for
much of their appeal. In some barns, the load bearing members
are of enormous dimensions, and the complex system of beams,
braces, posts, rafters and other elements of the revealed framework
create an imposing sight. Yet even in small barns, the structural
system can be an important feature, helping to determine the
historic character of the building.
Historic barns, like modern barns, are structures built for use.
Nevertheless, decorative elements are not lacking on barns. Foremost
among these is color (red being most common). Dutch barns traditionally
sported distinctively shaped martin holes in the upper reaches
of the building. Traditional hex signs on Pennsylvania barns
are so well known as to have entered the mainstream of popular
culture and taken on a life of their own. Decorative paint schemes,
including contrasting colors to “pick out” cross
members of the external framework, are common (these most frequently
take the form of diamonds or “X's” on the main doors).
Sign painters often took advantage of the size and visibility
of barns in an age before billboards. “Mail Pouch Tobacco” signs
were nearly as numerous in the first quarter of the 20th century
as patent medicine ads were in the last quarter of the 19th.
Another decorative motif on historic barns is the arrangement
of spacing between bricks to form decorative patterns (as well
as to ventilate the barn).
In addition to these elements, arched window hoods, patterned
slate roofs, fanciful cupolas, weathervanes, lightning rods and
ornamented metal ventilator hoods can be found on historic barns.
Finally, individual farmers and barn builders sometimes added
personal touches, as when they carved or painted their names
on anchor beams, or painted their names and the date over the
entrance. The elements discussed here are major components of
historic barns. Yet no list can convey the full historic character
of an individual building. It is very important, therefore, to
study each structure carefully before undertaking any project
to restore it or to adapt it to new uses.
Barn Maintenance
If a barn is to be kept in good repair, periodic maintenance
is essential. Barns should be routinely inspected for signs of
damage and decay, and problems corrected as soon as possible.
Water is the single greatest cause of building materials deterioration.
The repair of roof leaks is therefore of foremost importance.
Broken or missing panes of glass in windows or cupolas are also
sources of moisture penetration, and should be replaced, as should
broken ventilation louvers. Gutters and downspouts should be
cleaned once or twice a year. Proper drainage and grading should
be ensured, particularly in low spots around the foundation where
water can collect.
Moisture is one major threat to historic buildings. Insects,
especially termites, carpenter ants and powder post beetles,
are another. Regular examinations for infestations are essential.
Additional periodic barn maintenance measures include repair
or replacement of loose or missing clapboards, and inspections
of foundations for cracks and settlements. Vegetation growing
on the barn should be removed, and shrubs or trees near it should
be cleared if they obstruct access, or, more serious, if roots
and other growths threaten the foundation. Soil and manure buildups
against the foundation should be removed. Such buildups hold
water and snow against wooden elements, and promote rot. They
also promote insect infestations. Door hardware should be checked
for proper fitting and lubricated yearly. Lightning rods should
be kept in proper working order, or added, if missing.
Many historic barns require more serious repairs than those normally
classed as “routine maintenance”. Damaged or deteriorated
features should be repaired rather than replaced wherever possible.
If replacement is necessary, the new material should match the
historic material in design, color, texture, and other visual
qualities and, where possible, material. The design of replacements
for missing features (for example, cupolas and dormers) should
be based on historic, physical, or pictorial evidence.
Many barn owners have substantial experience in the care of farm
structures. Where expertise is lacking, it will be necessary
to consult structural engineers, masons, carpenters, and architects,
as appropriate. In addition, for many repairs, a knowledge of
historic building techniques may be necessary.
Ensuring the structural soundness of a historic barn is vital
both to its continued usefulness and to the safety of its occupants.
The following signs of structural settlements may require the
services of a structural engineer to evaluate: major cracks in
masonry walls, visible bowing, leaning and misalignment of walls,
sagging windows and doors, separation of cladding from structural
frames, trusses pulling away from seating points at support walls,
sagging joists and rafters, and noticeable dips in the roof between
rafters. To correct these problems, masonry foundations may have
to be reset or partially rebuilt. Sills and plates may need to
be repaired or replaced. Walls may have to be straightened and
tied into the structural system more securely. Individual structural
members may need bracing or splicing.
Moisture can damage historic materials severely, and, in extreme
cases, jeopardize the structural integrity of a building. Every
effort must be made to secure a weather tight roof. This may
require merely patching a few missing shingles on a roof that
is otherwise sound. In more severe cases, it may require repairing
or replacing failing rafters and damaged sheathing. Such extreme
intervention, however, is not usual. More typical is the need
to furnish “a new roof,” that is, to replace the
wooden shingles,.phphalt shingles, slate shingles or metal covering
the roof. Replacing one type of roofing with another can produce
a drastic change in the appearance of historic buildings. Great
care should be taken, therefore, to assess the contribution of
the roof to the appearance and character of the barn before replacing
one type of roofing material with another. While some substitute
materials (such as synthetic slate shingles) can be considered,
the highest priority should be to replace in-kind, and to match
the visual qualities of the historic roof. Gutters and downspouts
should be replaced if damaged or missing. Finally, dormers, cupolas,
metal ventilators and other rooftop "ornaments" provide
needed ventilation, and should be repaired if necessary.
In addition to the roof and the foundation, other exterior elements
may need repair, including siding, brick and stonework, dormers
and cupolas, windows and doors. Shutters may be falling off,
doors may need to be re-hung, and missing louvers replaced. The
exterior may need repainting. (Unpainted brick or stone barns,
however, should never be painted.) In the case of masonry barns,
repointing may be necessary. If so, mortar that is compatible
in appearance and composition with the historic mortar must be
used. Using mortar high in Portland cement can damage historic
brick or stone. Masonry cleaning should be undertaken only when
necessary to halt deterioration or to remove heavy dirt, and
using the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other physical
or chemical treatments that damage historic materials should
not be used. Likewise, power washing under high pressure can
also damage building material.
Typical interior repairs may include removing and replacing rotten
floorboards, and repair or replacement of partitions, storage
bins, gutters and stalls. Concrete floors may be cracked and
in need of repair. Wiring and plumbing may need major overhaul.
Some barns have served the same uses for generations, and need
only periodic repairs and routine maintenance. Others have become
obsolete and need extensive updating for modern farming methods.
(To house livestock, for example, a barn may need new feeding,
watering, waste removal, electrical, plumbing and ventilation
systems.) Similarly, barns that can no longer be used for agriculture
at all normally require changes to adapt them for commercial,
office, or residential use. In such cases barns need more extensive
work than the maintenance and repair treatments outlined above.
However, when rehabilitating a historic barn for a new farming
operation or a new use entirely, care must be taken to preserve
its historic character while making needed changes.
A successful rehabilitation project is best guaranteed when a
work plan is drawn up by someone familiar with the evaluation
of historic structures, and when it is carried out by contractors
and workmen experienced with the building type and committed
to the goal of retaining the historic character of the property.
Help in formulating rehabilitation plans and in locating experienced
professionals is normally available from the State Historic Preservation
Office and local preservation groups.
The following approaches should be observed when carrying out
rehabilitation projects on historic barns:
1. Preserve the historic setting of the barn as much as possible.
Modern farming practices do not require the great number of outbuildings,
lots, fences, hedges, walls and other elements typical of historic
farms. Yet such features, together with fields, woods, ponds,
and other.phpects of the farm setting can be important to the
character of historic barns. The functional relationship between
the barn and silo is particularly significant and should also
be maintained.
2. Repair and repaint historic siding rather than cover barns
with artificial siding. Siding applied over the entire surface
of a building can give it an entirely different appearance, obscure
craft details, and mask ongoing deterioration of historic materials
underneath. The resurfacing of historic farm buildings with any
new material that does not duplicate the historic material is
never a recommended treatment.
3. Repair rather than replace historic windows whenever possible,
and avoid “blocking them down” or covering them up.
Avoid the insertion of numerous new window openings. They can
give a building a domestic appearance, radically altering a barn's
character. However, if additional light is needed, add new windows
carefully, respecting the size and scale of existing window openings.
4. Avoid changing the size of door openings whenever possible.
Increasing the height of door openings to accommodate new farm
machinery can dramatically alter the historic character of a
barn. If larger doors are needed, minimize the visual change.
Use new track-hung doors rather than oversized rolled steel doors,
which give an industrial appearance incompatible with most historic
barns. If the barn has wood siding, the new doors should match
it. If historic doors are no longer needed, fix them shut instead
of removing them and filling in the openings.
5. Consider a new exterior addition only if it is essential to
the continued use of a historic barn. A new addition can damage
or destroy historic features and materials and alter the overall
form of the historic building. If an addition is required, it
should be built in a way that minimizes damage to external walls
and internal plan. It should also be compatible with the historic
barn, but sufficiently differentiated from it so that the new
work is not confused with what is genuinely part of the past.
6. Retain interior spaces and features as much as possible. The
internal volume of a barn is often a major character defining
feature, and the insertion of new floors, partitions, and structures
within the barn can drastically impair the overall character
of the space. Similarly, interior features should also be retained
to the extent possible.
7. Retain as much of the historic internal structural system
as possible. Even in cases where it is impractical to keep all
of the exposed structural system, it may be possible to keep
sufficiently extensive portions of it to convey a strong sense
of the interior character. Wholesale replacement of the historic
structural system with a different system should be avoided.
The conversion of barns to housing is not new, but has become
increasingly popular in recent years. Yet the changes involved
in converting most barns to housing are so great that such conversions
rarely preserve the historic character of the resource. Ordinarily,
numerous windows are inserted, walls are heavily insulated and
refinished, the interior volume is greatly reduced, chimneys
and other fixtures normally lacking in barns are added, and site
changes, such as close-in parking and residential landscaping
are made, giving the building a greatly altered site. Many other
barns are “converted” to houses by dismantling them,
discarding the exterior, and reusing the internal structural
system in a new building. The beams are saved, but the barn is
lost.
In cases where the conversion from barns to houses has been successful,
the positive outcome results in large measure from the careful
choice of the barn: A modest sized barn with a sufficient number
of existing residential scale windows, in which nearly the whole
internal volume can be used as is, without building numerous
new partitions or extending a new floor across the open space
(haylofts in such cases serving as loft space for “second
story” rooms).
Historic barns form a vital part of our nation's heritage. Not
every historic barn can be saved from encroaching development,
or easily brought back into productive use. Yet thousands of
such structures can be repaired or rehabilitated for continued
agricultural use or for new functions without destroying the
very qualities that make them worth saving. By carefully examining
the historic significance of each structure, owners of historic
barns can draw up plans that preserve and reuse these historic
structures while maintaining their historic character.
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