Restoration Plan

Restoration Chronology
Horse Barn
Working Barn
1920s Fill-in
1940s Add-on

Restoration Discoveries & Questions

In early November 2001 we began installing a line of 6x6 oak posts and beams inside the barn to help support the mow floor. The ends of these lines are built in to the south wall, and their installation allowed us to remove the jacks.

While digging holes for the concrete footings for the line of 6x6 oak posts a previously unknown foundation wall was discovered running north and south about six feet from and parallel to the east wall. A complete understanding of the function of this wall had to wait until the concrete floor was removed.

photo - Hole showing the newly discovered foundation wall.
photo - The line of 6x6 oak posts and beams added for support of the mow

March 9, 2002

On Saturday, March 9 FarmHand parents cleaned up the interior of the horsebarn in preparation for concrete removal.

March 30, 2002

During the week of March 25 - 29 the concrete floor of the Horse Barn was removed. Some material was removed using a road scraper (slip scoop) using horse power.

April 6, 2002

During the previous week work was done to further remove material from the floor of the Horse Barn. The top of the interior mystery foundation was partially uncovered, especially the middle and southern portion. The foundation was found to be clearly continuous. Speculation with Thom Livingston is that it may have provided foundation support for posts separating horse stalls. In the tie beams directly above the foundation are mortise holes that could have been associated with these posts. However, any posts so arranged would not have been centered on the wall so this may be coincidence.

The interior faces of the outside foundation walls had been cleared away of concrete.

photo - Interior of Horse Barn with concrete floor removed. The foundation walls have been cleared of concrete and the interior newly discovered wall is just visible between and nearest the left line of new posts.

April 13, 2002

On Saturday, 13 April volunteers removed dirt and stone from the floor of the Horse Barn. This was done to make a level grade in preparation for pouring a new concrete floor. During this work the mystery interior foundation wall was partially uncovered. It appeared to run to the end of the third bay and then to turn east, but removal of material did not bear this out. The material seemed random rather than purposely constructed. In general, the area between this foundation and the east wall of the Horse Barn was full of various sized fieldstones such as those found in the foundation. It may be that upper levels of this foundation wall were knocked to the east when the present barn was built. The top of this foundation is now considerably lower than the barn foundation. At present it is unclear if this foundation runs all the way to the south wall of the horse barn and if it continues through the 4th bay. If it does these portions of the wall are lower than the part exposed so far.

It was noted that in the northeast corner of the horse barn there appears to be a large hole inside where the east and north walls meet. This hole may have been a well or cistern or drain and at some point was filled in with concrete.

Artifacts found along the east wall during dirt and stone removal included a metal work light basket covering crushed but otherwise in good shape, a length of chain corroded and encrusted, a piece of metal about two inches long of unknown use, and, an apparent wrought iron bracket, handle, or hook about four inches across that looks like a gutter bracket except it is rather narrow.

photos - Interior of the Horse Barn showing the top of the exposed mystery foundation wall 1, 2

April 20, 2002

Six more footing holes were dug during the previous week at the north end of the horse barn. There was also a new hole at the south end to match the hole dug earlier. However, the older hole in the southeast corner was filled in during the work on Saturday, April 20. The new hole will be a support for the door jamb that will form part of the feed room. During the work on Saturday volunteers continued to enlarge the six holes at the north end.

It now appears that the mystery wall goes to the south wall and, although it is inconclusive, may have turned east just before the 4th bend at the end of the 3rd bay.

photos - The new holes dug for additional support posts and the further uncovered mystery wall.

April 27, 2002

During the previous week seven concrete footings for interior support posts were completed. Six footings were in the north end of the Horse Barn and the seventh was in the south end in the western line of posts. On Saturday volunteers including students from the Hun School and FarmHands parents removed soil and leveled the floor of the Horse Barn. During this work a large, probably hand forged pintle was found in the floor material. Several layers at the top of the mystery foundation wall in the floor of the Horse Barn were removed as part of the leveling process. By the end of the day there was no surface evidence of the existence of this wall.

photo - The floor of the Horse Barn showing the new concrete footings for additional support posts and the leveling of the floor that resulted in the removal of several layers from the top of the mystery foundation.