NBA 2020 Virtual Lectures: How to Speak Barn

“How to Speak Barn: the Language and Nuances of Barn Anatomy and the Language We Use to Describe Them”

Presenters: Jeffrey L. Marshall and Michael Cuba

Working in preservation in an agricultural context requires uncommon expertise. Barns and other farm buildings require a specialized vocabulary and a working knowledge of the historical evolution of design and use. Learn the lingo, how to recognize change, and how to evaluate and describe elements necessary for a National Register of Historic Places designation.

The language used to characterize barns in the United States has varied from person to person and publication to publication over the centuries. Efforts to develop a coherent and unified way of describing these buildings have come far over the past few decades.

This lecture explores appropriate terminology and the precedents that support this language, with particular attention to barns types that developed and emerged out of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley. The more familiar we become with common nomenclature, the more effectively we are able to share our observations with one another, and the easier it is to evaluate particular barns in context with similar barns.

Although this lecture is geared towards architects, engineers, preservation contractors, cultural resource professionals who may not be familiar with barns and general barn enthusiasts, everyone can learn from this exploration of historic farm buildings!