[MassHistPres] Cold-storage barn in early 1900s

[Electa Tritsch]

Concerning stone storage barns - I'm wondering what the approximate 
dimensions of the Stow structure are? I've encountered many stone 
farm structures in eastern/ central Massachusetts, and know that a 
number of them were mid-late 19th cen dairy or milk rooms (on the 
grounds of Medfield State Hospital, for instance). The ruins of a 
huge Shaker barn in Harvard are  stone. The walls of another, smaller 
stone  barn in Royalston are also still standing which, from its 
elongated dimensions appears to have been a dairy barn.
         Your identification of the Stow structure as being 
specifically for produce storage is interesting and, I would think, 
quite unusual.
Electa Tritsch
Oakfield Research
Concord MA

At 07:05 PM 12/21/2009, Susan McLaughlin wrote:

>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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Electa Kane Tritsch, Director
Oakfield Research
233 Heaths Bridge Rd.
Concord, MA 01742
978-371-2128
www.oakfieldresearch.com
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