[MassHistPres] Cold-storage barn in early 1900s

[Cindy Brockway]

Castle Hill (Ipswich) has a complex of stone and stucco barns built starting
in 1914 by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge but under the advice of consultant
Edward Burnett.  Burnett managed his family's farm in Southborough MA then
became manager for such notable gentleman's farm operations as Biltmore.  He
served as advisor to a number of architects on barn technology and
construction, including Alfred Hopkins who published two books on farm
design, Planning for Sunshine and Fresh Air in Modern Farm Buildings.  There
are many examples of stone barns on gentleman farms in RI as well, including
this Knight estate in Warwick. I would take a look at these publications and
see if the Larsen barn was built using this new technology.  The Castle Hill
barns were for dairy.  I can't remember if there is an apple barn there as
well.

As for the value of stone walls which you have all been talking about, they
are critically important in tracing land subdivision patterns in New
England.  I have used the records of them and their physical remains in
tracing landscape histories in all six states.  Most of the stone walls
delineate some of the earliest land subdivisions/improvements/purchases and
later generations delineate second and third generations of land
subdivision.  In cases where walls have been removed, we have been able to
trace the footing stones which are partially or fully buried under the
surface to define these land histories, but it is always easier to trace the
boundaries using above-ground historic resources.  Many of the walls are
most visible in the series of aerial photographs taken in the 1930's by
federal government agencies for planning and road studies.  Walls are also
delineated in New Hampshire records in their study and of the white pine
blister rust (1930's) as they believed that the disease was harbored in
pines and junipers growing up along old walls.  Please protect these
resources whenever possible for both their legal and historic value.

Cindy Brockway
Past Designs
Kennebunk ME

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Susan McLaughlin
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 7:06 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Cold-storage barn in early 1900s


The Town of Stow has an historic structure known as the Larsen Apple Barn, a
farm building with very thick stone walls. It was built by Peter Larsen in
roughly 1918 to store apples and other produce for his farm and local
farmers. It is said to have been state-of-the-art cold storage in its time,
allowing farmers to store surplus produce until demand increased after the
harvest season and brought them higher prices. 

We are wondering how unique this building is. Are there similar structures
in your towns? Or do you know of others in Massachusetts?

Many thanks.
Susan McLaughlin
Stow Historical Commission member 
susanmc1 at earthlink.net


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