[MassHistPres] 17th & 8th century chimneys

[Mark Landry]

We've encountered many chimney bases that you could walk into, fitted  
with shelves and were, I suppose, used for storing vegetables, etc.  I  
don't think we've seen plant material used in the way you describe.

As for back of fireplace ovens, yes they can be used to help date  
houses.  Check out Abbott Cummings' "Framed Houses ...." for more.

Mark Landry


Mark Landry       |      President       |      Landmark Services, Inc.
T 508◆533◆8393  |   Fax 508◆533◆8370  |     
www.landmarkservices.com




On Nov 12, 2008, at 12:00 PM, masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
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>   1. 17th C and 18th Center chimneys (Diane Gilbert)
>   2. Re: 17th C and 18th Center chimneys (Ellen St. Sure)
>   3. Local Preservation Update E-Newsletter - November 10,	2008
>      (Skelly, Christopher @ SEC)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:05:49 -0500
> From: Diane Gilbert <d.m.gilbert at comcast.net>
> Subject: [MassHistPres] 17th C and 18th Center chimneys
> To: Untitled <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <C53F4FCD.E94C%d.m.gilbert at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> Has anyone ever encountered a crib-like foundation built adjacent to a
> center chimney of a 17th C or 18th C cape style house?  We assume  
> this was
> commonplace but so far no one knows.
>
> The 1762 Elihu Akin House in Dartmouth has extensive and impressive  
> stone
> foundations which include a formidable center chimney. Adjacent to the
> center chimney is another foundation about 2 1/2 feet high next to [or
> attached to] the center chimney.  This structure revealed itself  
> after we
> cleaned out the cellar more thoroughly to get ready for foundation  
> repairs.
> This additional foundation spans the several feet to make it flush  
> to the
> wall foundation on the cellar?s south side end of the house.  What?s  
> more,
> it is filled with rubble stone, field stone and dressed granite of  
> various
> sizes.  In between the stone layers we?ve exposed is some sort of  
> vegetation
> or plant material that appears to serve as insulation, for what, we  
> don?t
> know yet.  The same plant material has been filled randomly into the  
> center
> chimney spaces where there is no mortar on that side.  It?s well built
> because no stones appear to have fallen out, unlike some areas of the
> mortared wall foundation. Unfortunately there appears to be a dearth  
> of
> documentation about the cellars of early houses available.
>
> We would love to hear from people who have encountered something  
> similar or
> might know leads to reference material on the subject.  So far, no  
> buried
> treasure has been discovered.  Perhaps one of its purposes was to  
> serve as a
> ?root cellar? or other storage space, even a hiding place for rum  
> runners?
> cache.  So far, no bottles found.
>
> We appreciate anyone writing in to help us solve this mystery.  I have
> photos which I am happy to share with people who contact me outside  
> of the
> listserv since attachments are against the rules.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Diane Gilbert
> Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust, Inc.
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:49:08 -0500
> From: "Ellen St. Sure" <estsure at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] 17th C and 18th Center chimneys
> To: Diane Gilbert <d.m.gilbert at comcast.net>
> Cc: Untitled <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <E9041BEE-815B-45A8-B444-562E900DC3A9 at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
> 	format=flowed
>
> Can't help with your mystery cellar-crib, but I would be interested
> to know more about back-of-the-fireplace ovens.  If, as I'm told,
> they were not built after c. 1740, wouldn't they be a useful tool for
> firmly dating Early Period houses?
> On Nov 11, 2008, at 3:05 PM, Diane Gilbert wrote:
>
>> Has anyone ever encountered a crib-like foundation built adjacent  
>> to a
>> center chimney of a 17th C or 18th C cape style house?  We assume
>> this was
>> commonplace but so far no one knows.
>>
>> The 1762 Elihu Akin House in Dartmouth has extensive and impressive
>> stone
>> foundations which include a formidable center chimney. Adjacent to  
>> the
>> center chimney is another foundation about 2 1/2 feet high next to  
>> [or
>> attached to] the center chimney.  This structure revealed itself
>> after we
>> cleaned out the cellar more thoroughly to get ready for foundation
>> repairs.
>> This additional foundation spans the several feet to make it flush
>> to the
>> wall foundation on the cellar?s south side end of the house.
>> What?s more,
>> it is filled with rubble stone, field stone and dressed granite of
>> various
>> sizes.  In between the stone layers we?ve exposed is some sort of
>> vegetation
>> or plant material that appears to serve as insulation, for what, we
>> don?t
>> know yet.  The same plant material has been filled randomly into
>> the center
>> chimney spaces where there is no mortar on that side.  It?s well  
>> built
>> because no stones appear to have fallen out, unlike some areas of the
>> mortared wall foundation. Unfortunately there appears to be a
>> dearth of
>> documentation about the cellars of early houses available.
>>
>> We would love to hear from people who have encountered something
>> similar or
>> might know leads to reference material on the subject.  So far, no
>> buried
>> treasure has been discovered.  Perhaps one of its purposes was to
>> serve as a
>> ?root cellar? or other storage space, even a hiding place for rum
>> runners?
>> cache.  So far, no bottles found.
>>
>> We appreciate anyone writing in to help us solve this mystery.  I  
>> have
>> photos which I am happy to share with people who contact me outside
>> of the
>> listserv since attachments are against the rules.
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Diane Gilbert
>> Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust, Inc.
>>
>>
>>
>> ******************************
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>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:32:06 -0500
> From: "Skelly, Christopher @ SEC" <Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us>
> Subject: [MassHistPres] Local Preservation Update E-Newsletter -
> 	November 10,	2008
> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID:
> 	<4B9743DC9631164FA8ED1AAC579277AF0D656E at PROD-MSG01.prod.sec.local>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>
> LOCAL PRESERVATION UPDATE E-NEWSLETTER
>
> Published by the Massachusetts Historical Commission
>
> http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm
> <http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcidx.htm>
>
> November 10, 2008
>
>
>
> This e-newsletter from the Massachusetts Historical Commission
> Preservation Planning Division has been prepared for local historical
> commissions, historic district commissions and others interested in
> historic preservation activities around the state of Massachusetts.   
> It
> is published roughly every other week.  If you have suggestions or  
> items
> of interest for this newsletter, please contact Chris Skelly at the
> Massachusetts Historical Commission.  Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us
> <mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us>
>
>
>
> NEWS AT THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
>
> Welcome to the start of an e-newsletter specifically for local
> commissions in Massachusetts.  We hope you enjoy this new initiative
> from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.  We welcome your  
> thoughts
> on what you would like to see in this newsletter.
>
>
>
> SURVEY AND PLANNING GRANTS
>
> Pre-applications for 2009 Survey and Planning Grants were recently  
> sent
> to all local historical commissions and historic district commissions.
> They are due by December 15, 2008.   Typical projects funded through
> survey and planning grants include cultural resource inventories,
> National Register nominations, preservation plans and public outreach
> publications.  For more information on survey and planning grants,  
> visit
> our website.
>
> http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhchpp/Surveyandplanning.htm
>
>
>
> MASSACHUSETTS PRESERVATION PROJECTS FUND
>
> Round 15 of the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) grant
> program has been scheduled. Administered by the Massachusetts  
> Historical
> Commission (MHC), the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund  
> (MPPF) is
> a state-funded 50% reimbursable matching grant program established in
> 1984 to support the preservation of properties, landscapes, and sites
> listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Applicants must be a
> municipality or nonprofit organization. (Please note that grant
> disbursement is subject to reauthorization of the capital accounts and
> the availability of sufficient allocated funds.)  Applications for  
> Round
> 15 are due February 20, 2009. It is anticipated that funding will be  
> in
> the range of the previous two grant rounds, Rounds 13 and 14, which  
> were
> $750,000 and $800,000, respectively. Grant awards will be made June  
> 10,
> 2009 and projects must be completed by June 30, 2010.   A series of  
> MPPF
> workshops have been scheduled for the coming weeks at various  
> locations
> throughout Massachusetts. Join a member of the MHC's Grants Division  
> as
> they explain the program requirements, go over program materials, and
> give you the opportunity to ask questions. Workshops are free of  
> charge
> and no registration is required. For MPPF program information,
> downloadable Application/Instructions, and directions to the upcoming
> grant workshops please visit the MHC's website.
>
> http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcmppf/mppfidx.htm
>
>
>
> NEW PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES
>
> A new DVD, Local Historical Commissions in Massachusetts, is now
> available from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.  This 50  
> minute
> DVD explains the roles and responsibilities of local historical
> commissions.  If you would like a copy, please contact the chairperson
> of your local historical commission first to see if your commission  
> has
> already received a copy.  If not, we would be happy to send one out to
> your commission.
>
>
>
> CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND DATES TO REMEMBER
>
> December 3, 2008 - MPPF Grant Workshop at the MHC
>
> December 5, 2008 - Certified Local Government Workshop at MHC
>
> December 15, 2008 - Survey and Planning Grant Pre-Applications due at
> MHC.
>
> December 17, 2008 - MPPF Grant Workshop at the Community Music  
> School of
> Springfield
>
> January 8, 2009 - MPPF Grant Workshop at the Millbury Public Library
>
> January 13, 2009 - MPPF Grant Workshop at the MHC
>
> February 20, 2009 - MPPF Round 15 Grant Applications due at MHC.
>
>
>
> HISTORIC PRESERVATION ON THE WEB
>
> The National Park Service Secretary of the Interior's Standards for  
> the
> Treatment of Historic Properties can be found at
> http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/standguide/
> <http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/standguide/> .  The standards
> promote responsible historic preservation practices.  Local  
> commissions
> should familiarize themselves especially with the section on
> rehabilitating historic buildings.  Of the four treatments,
> rehabilitation is the most common.
>
> ********************************************
>
> Please forward this newsletter on to others that may be interested.   
> If
> you are receiving this as a forwarded message and would like to  
> receive
> it directly, please contact the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
> The Massachusetts Historical Commission also has a listserve
> specifically for historic preservation.  You can join this listserve  
> by
> visiting http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
> <http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres> .
>
> *******************************************
>
>
>
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> End of MassHistPres Digest, Vol 33, Issue 8
> *******************************************