Gambrel Roof Barn History

The new england barn almost always has a gable roof but a gambrel roof form may be found on some new england barns.

Gambrel roof barn history. Near the ground mark the prairie barn. History of gambrel roofs. This style is also a standard roof design found in dutch colonial houses and some historians suggest that early dutch. Another candidate for oldest gambrel roof said to be from 1666 alexander standish house.

The first harvard hall harvard university credited to be the oldest known example of a gambrel roof in north america built c. A typical barn roof is a common example of a gambrel roof. The origin of the gambrel roof in north america is unknown. During the period this roof was commonly referred to as the dutch roof particularly in england and north america.

In the mid 19th century experimental barns such as the round barn generated much interest among farmers in the efficient utilization of space and greatly influenced the layouts of later barns. The word gambrel originates from the medieval latin word gamba that means leg or horse s hock. Originally built as a barn in the american colonies by early dutch settlers this style of roof has also become popular for projects including homes and of course sheds. Look up gambrel in wiktionary the free dictionary.

The late nineteenth century and early twentieth century barns are characterized by a gable or later gambrel roof of varying framing techniques few windows square wooden cupolas lightning rods timber frames or modified built up frames and doors with commercial hardware. The gambrel shed has a long and varied history. Comparison with the three bay barn. However the oldest example of a gambrel roof was built in 1677 on the second harvard hall at harvard university in america.

The long low roof lines the door in the gable. As a storage shed a gambrel roof can make the very most of a small amount of space. It is my impression that most of the dates one sees most often on them carved into the peak or cornerstone painted on doors or cupolas or laid with contrasting color slates into slate roofs are the years between 1880 and 1890. Barn with a gambrel roof.

Sometimes the new england barn is framed with studs in the walls and horizontal sheathing boards instead of the more common rails with vertical sheathing. The history of the gambrel roof dates back to the eighteenth century. A gambrel roof allowed more usable space overhead than a gabled roof. A peak period for the construction of these barns must have been the decade of the 1880 s.