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Introduction
In colonial America, and particularly New England, the abundance
of wood and the English tradition of building made the timber frame
house popular. Until balloon frame construction began to supersede
it in the mid-1800s, timber frame construction was the construction
method for all frame houses in 17th and 18th century America. Timber
framing, often called post-and-beam construction, is a form of
carpentry which involves taking large pieces of wood and joining
them together with woodworking joints, using mortise-and-tenon
construction, without metal construction such as nails. Wooden
pegs, bents, braces, and sometimes trusses are employed. Many types
of colonial houses can be considered to be timber-frame houses,
including saltbox houses.
Since the 1970s the timber frame house has grown in favor following
a revival of interest in traditional methods of construction. The Historic
American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record has
documented timber frame houses since its inception in 1933 and
continues to do so.
This select list includes examples of HABS-documented timber-frame
buildings where the documentation in its entirety provides a good
picture of the building and shows some aspect of framing. All examples
include drawing documentation (except for Sarum in Maryland, which
has extensive photos of framing). Saltbox houses are included in
this list when their framing is particularly featured; see the
separate Saltbox Houses reference aid
for a fuller selection of HABS-documented sites that are especially
good examples of that house type.
Select the small image to view a larger version. Select the Call
Number of the structure to retrieve, via the Prints
and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC), a bibliographic record
for the entire group of documentation. The bibliographic record
will provide fuller information about the house in question (such
as owners' names) and may include other photographs and/or other
types of documentation.
Images can be downloaded from this site. The Library of Congress
cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute
material in its collections, but a rights
statement for the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American
Engineering Record is available. Photographic and other types
of copies can also be ordered from the Library of Congress Photoduplication
Service by selecting the "How to Order a Copy of This Item" link
in the bibliographic record and following the instructions given
there.
Connecticut
General
Walker House, Stratford, Fairfield County
Built 1690.
Call number: HABS
CONN, 1-STRAT, 1-
|
HABS
CONN, 1-STRAT, 1-3
southeast elevation |
HABS
CT-66, sheet 3 of 10
east (front) elevation |
Glebe House, Hollow Road, Woodbury, Litchfield County
Built 1771 [information from: White Pine Series, vol. 2, no. 5, page 9]
Call number: HABS
CONN, 3-WOO, 1-
|
[No Photos] |
HABS
CT-324, sheet 5 of 9
south elevation
|
Nathaniel Baker House, North Plain, Middlesex County
Built late 17th century
Call number: HABS
CONN, 4-NOPLA, 1- |
HABS
CONN, 4-NOPLA, 1-1
northwest elevation |
HABS
CT-41, sheet 8 of 10
posts
|
Colonel Stephen Ford House, Milford, New Haven County
Built 1685.
Call number: HABS,
CONN,5-MILF,2-
|
HABS
CONN, 8-MILF, 2-1
southeast elevation |
HABS
CT-14, sheet 1 of 15
south front elevation |
Ward-Heitmann House, West Haven, New Haven County
Built 1684.
Call number: HABS
CONN, 5-HAVW, 1- |
HABS
CONN, 5-HAVW, 1-1
front elevation - south |
HABS
CT-22, sheet 1 of 13
front (south) elevation |
Painter House, West Haven, New Haven County
Built 1684 or 1685.
Call number: HABS
CONN, 5-HAVW, 2-
|
HABS
CONN, 5-HAVW, 2-1
front elevation |
HABS
CT-62, sheet 3 of 18
second floor plan |
Eltonhead Manor, near Little Cove Point,
Calvert County
Built 17th century.
Call number: HABS,
MD,5-____,1-
|
HABS
MD, 5-____, 1-2
northwest corner, 1925 |
MD-2,
sheet 2 of 3
east, south & north elevation, section |
Sarum, near State Route 234, Newport vicinity,
Charles County
Built ca. 1680.
Call number: HABS
MD, 9-NEPO.V, 1-
|
HABS
MD, 9-NEPO.V, 1-2
perspective view of south and west elevations |
[No drawings]
|
Governor Thomas Prence House, Eastham,
Barnstable County
Built 1646. Demolished.
Call number: HABS
MASS 1-EAST, 2-
|
HABS
MASS 1-EAST, 2-1
general view from southwest |
MASS
2-79, sheet 1 of 1
south elevation, east elevation, first floor plan |
Waite-Potter House, Sanford Road, South
Westport, Bristol County
Built 1677
Call number: HABS
MASS, 3-WESPOS, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 3-WESPOS, 1-1
general view |
MASS
2-65, sheet 2 of 2
section B, Section A, north elevation |
Benjamin Abbot Farmhouse, Andover and
Argilla Road, Andover, Essex County
Built 1685. Has a saltbox roof.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-ANDO, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-ANDO, 1-4
view from southwest |
MA-2-9
sheet 5 of 12
north elevation; south elevation |
Benjamin Pierce House, 305 Cabot Street,
Beverly, Essex County
Built 1802.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-BEV, 8-
|
[No photos]
|
MA-606,
sheet 3 of 12
west elevation, N. elevation |
William Appleton House, Ipswich, Essex
County
Built 1766.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 20-
|
[No photos]
|
MA-607,
sheet 1 of 5
end, front elevation |
John Kimball House, Ipswich, Essex County
Built 1680. Saltbox.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 9-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 9-1
general view from southwest |
MA-177,
sheet 1 of 5
first floor plan, second floor plan |
Proctor House, Jeffrey's Neck Road, Ipswich,
Essex County
Built between 1700 and 1749. Demolished 1939.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 13-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 13-1
general view looking NE |
MA-322,
sheet 4 of 7
joints |
Renault-Foster House, Water St., Ipswich,
Essex County
Built between 1600 and 1649.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 21-
|
[No photos]
|
MA-633,
sheet 1 of 3
2nd floor, 1st floor |
Robert Hooper House, 8 Hooper Street,
Marblehead, Essex County
Built 1745.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-MARB, 53-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-MARB, 53-2
exterior front, looking east |
MS-249,
sheet 6 of 27
Hooper Street elevation |
Waters House and Bakery, Marblehead,
Essex County
Built 1683. Demolished 1937.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-MARB, 4-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-MARB, 4-1
view from southeast |
MA-2-31,
sheet 5 of 12
truss, truss, north elevation of wing |
Swett-Ilsley House, 4-6 High Street,
Newbury Old Town, Essex County
Built 1670-1700; 1760. Saltbox.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-NEWB, 4-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-NEWB, 4-1
general view looking NW |
MA-470,
sheet 5 of 6
2 sections, north elevation, south elevation |
General Benjamin Hawkes House, 4 Custom
House Place, Salem, Essex County
Built 1801.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-SAL, 31-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-SAL, 31-1
front and side, looking NE |
MA-270,
sheet 4 of 17
attic floor framing plan |
Captain Samuel Trevett House, 65 Washington
Street, Marblehead, Essex County
Built ca. 1750.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-MARB, 6-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-IPSWI, 6-1
general view from SE |
MA-104,
sheet 2 of 14
south elevation; 1st floor plan |
Stephen Daniel House, Daniels & Essex
Streets, Salem, Essex County
Built 1693.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 5-SAL, 20-
|
HABS
MASS, 5-SAL, 20-2
general view from NW |
MA-116,
sheet 3 of 16
east, west elevation |
Pike-Haven-Foster House, Framingham,
Middlesex County
Built 1696.
Call number: HABS,
MASS, 9-FRAM, 8-
|
HABS
MASS, 9-FRAM, 8-3
front and side |
HABS
MASS-616, sheet 3 of 7
south elevation |
Phineas Upham House, 253 Upham St., Melrose,
Middlesex County
Built 1703.
Call number: HABS,
MASS,9-MELRO,2- |
HABS
MASS, 9-MELRO, 2-1
front and side looking northwest |
HABS
MA-489, sheet 2
attic plan, roof framing |
Micah Coffin House ("Auld Lang Syne"),
Broadway, Siasconset, Nantucket County
Built ca. 1675.
Call number: MASS,
10-SCON, 2- |
HABS
MASS, 10-SCON, 2-1
south and west elevation |
HABS
MA-857, sheet 2 of 2
framing & west elevation |
Shanunga (Betsey Cary Cottage), Siasconset,
Nantucket County
Built ca. 1682. Altered 1780.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 10-SCON, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 10-SCON, 1-2
south elevation |
HABS
MA-610, sheet 2 of 2
2nd floor plan, view from southeast, cross-section |
Jonathan Fairbanks House, 511 East St.,
Dedham, Norfolk County
Built 1636. Oldest timber-frame house in the U.S.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 11-DED, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 11-DED, 1-6
view from southeast |
HABS
MA-223, sheet 8 of 24
4 framing details |
The Peak House, Medfield, Norfolk County
Built 1680.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 11-MED, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 11-MED, 1-1
view from southwest |
HABS
MA-2-77, sheet 2 of 2
framing |
Daniel Shute House, Main and S. Pleasant
Streets, Hingham, Plymouth County
Built ca. 1690.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-HING, 7-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-HING, 7-1
general view from NW |
HABS
MA-197, sheet 3 of 21
attic floor & roof framing plan |
Old Oaken Bucket House, Scituate, Plymouth
County
Built 1835.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-GREBU, 2-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-GREBU, 2-1
from southwest |
HABS
MA-2-41 sheet 2 of 6
west elevation; east elevation |
George Ward House, Lakeville, Plymouth
County
Built 1712.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-LAKVI, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-LAKVI, 1-1
view from southwest |
HABS
MA-2-20, sheet 2 of 6
four elevations |
Bryant Cushing House, Norwell,
Plymouth County
Built 1698.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-NOR, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-NOR, 1-1
view from northeast |
HABS
MA-109, sheet 1 of 12
north elevation, first floor plan |
Shadrach Standish House,
Halifax, Plymouth County
Built ca. 1730.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-HAL, 3-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-HAL, 3-1
view from southeast |
HABS
MA-2-70, sheet 1 of 3
east, north & south elevation, 2 plans |
Samuel Stetson House, Hanover Center,
Plymouth County
Built 1694.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 12-HANO, 3-
|
[No photos]
|
HABS
MA-611 sheet 2 of 6
south elevation, north elevation |
Fearing-Warr House, Wareham, Plymouth
County
Built 1665 and 1765.
Call number:HABS
MASS, 12-WARH, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 12-WARH, 1-1
general view from southwest |
HABS
MA-102, sheet 3 of 16
south elevation, east elevation |
Hyde-Worthen House, Charlestown, Suffolk
County
Call number: HABS
MASS, 13-CHAR, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 13-CHAR, 1-4
view from northwest |
HABS
MASS-192, sheet 1 of 7
3 floor plans, south elevation |
Robert Pierce House, 24 Oakton Avenue,
Dorchester, Suffolk County
Built ca. 1650. Saltbox.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 13-DORCH, 7-
|
HABS
MASS, 13-DORCH, 7-2 |
HABS
MA-562, sheet 8 of 10
section A-A |
General Salem Towne House, Old County
Road, Charlton, Worcester County
Built 1796. Moved to Sturbridge Village.
Call number: HABS
MASS, 14-CHAR, 1-
|
HABS
MASS, 14-CHAR, 1-1
view from west |
HABS
MA-2-38, sheet 2 of 16
cellar plan, attic framing |
Prepared by: Marilyn Ibach, Reference Specialist.
Last revised: May 2003.
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