Saving Victorian-Era Carriage Barns and Carriage Houses

The trend to save these delightful relics

What is a Carriage Barn?

A carriage barn (also called a carriage house) is a building constructed near a larger home to store horse-drawn carriages. They   sometimes housed the coachman or caretaker on the upper floor.  Today there is a growing trend to repurpose these buildings into small second homes, garage apartments or guest houses

Chamberlin Carriage House in Hartford, Connecticut built in 1871

Carriage House Origins:

Carriage houses came about in the era of the horse-drawn carriage in Great Britain.  Owning a horse-drawn carriage in the 1700s was a status symbol for wealthy families and they built carriage houses close to the house along with the necessary gear and operators.

Homes that were built in the country tended to call their carriage housing, carriage barns.

In the United States, carriage houses date back to the mid-to-late-1800s. During this time, roads were more established and therefore carriages became more widely used—especially in the upper northeast, in New York City, and across New England

What are the Characteristics of a Carriage House?

  • They were freestanding buildings, built as outbuildings on the property.
  • Many included a small living area for the driver or horse groomsmen, often on a small second floor or as a loft above the main floor.
  • They have large open spaces to accommodate the horse-drawn carriage, often with high ceilings.
  • In many cases, carriage houses were built in a similar style to the main house.  Being that they were often built in the Victorian era, many featured a steep roof, dormer windows and shingle.

My first painting of a Carriage Barn

I created my first painting of a carriage barn in 2015 when I learned about the fascinating story of dedicated community in Monrovia, California intent on saving the last remaining carriage barn in their small city.  I was so impressed, that I awarded my Historic Preservation Award to the two individuals most closely involved in the project.

The new life for the barn came into being thanks to the efforts of Monrovia resident Tracey Tempel, the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group and 29 donors who helped finance the moving of the barn, as well as Monrovia preservationist, Jimi Hendrix. With the help of his crew, Jimi found a new home for the barn — thanks to Tracey Tempel —  and was responsible for dismantling and then reconstructing the building at its new location.

This is how the reconstructed and rehabilitated barn looks today.

The reconstructed and rehabilitated carriage barn as it stands today in Monrovia, CA

 

You can read the full story here as well as see before photos and the reconstruction in process.

Until next time,

Leisa

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