Saturday, February 5, 2011

Tough News in a Hard Winter

It's been a hard season for our old barns - we've been learning of roof collapses all over the state from the weight of record snowfall saturated by rain.

Eli Whitney Barn's Wagon Shed, February 4, 2011
Just this week the 1816 Eli Whitney Barn, which we see out our office windows, lost its wagon shed. Wednesday it was there, Thursday a pile of rubble.

 Wagon Shed Rear (West), February 4, 2011
The "before" portrait shows the barn with its shed, which has had several different roof configurations over the years. Check out the story of this barn at http://www.connecticutbarns.org/1788

The Eli Whitney Museum, owner of the barn, had plans already in place to restore the wagon shed back to its earliest appearance. Watch for the work to get started after the snow melts.

Eli Whitney Barn, back in the Spring of 2010


Photography by C. Hitchcock