Gambrel Roof Barn History

Look up gambrel in wiktionary the free dictionary.

Gambrel roof barn history. The history of the gambrel roof dates back to the eighteenth century. However the oldest example of a gambrel roof was built in 1677 on the second harvard hall at harvard university in america. This style is also a standard roof design found in dutch colonial houses and some historians suggest that early dutch. The long low roof lines the door in the gable.

The first harvard hall harvard university credited to be the oldest known example of a gambrel roof in north america built c. A gambrel roof allowed more usable space overhead than a gabled roof. The gambrel shed has a long and varied history. The extended roof created great storage space.

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. Barn with a gambrel roof. During the period this roof was commonly referred to as the dutch roof particularly in england and north america. 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.

A typical barn roof is a common example of a gambrel roof. The new england barn almost always has a gable roof but a gambrel roof form may be found on some new england barns. Another candidate for oldest gambrel roof said to be from 1666 alexander standish house. The word gambrel originates from the medieval latin word gamba that means leg or horse s hock.

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. As a storage shed a gambrel roof can make the very most of a small amount of space. A peak period for the construction of these barns must have been the decade of the 1880 s. Think of a typical barn roof the most common gambrel roof most people see.

History of gambrel roofs. 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. 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. Comparison with the three bay barn.