Early Gunstock Corn Crib
18' X 18' plus 8'9" x18' addition | Circa 1770 | Salem, NY
This barn is a very early and unique corn crib. It is a gunstock frame, which means that the posts flare to a wider dimension up at the top, allowing for incredibly strong joinery. This corn crib is a scribed barn, meaning that it was built prior to the advent of the "square rule" techniques. Other signs of its early construction are the hand forged nails and the no-point drill bits that were used in its construction. Each brace, beam, and post is scribed to its partners, lending lots of character to this structure. There are two beams that run from gable to gable interiorly that created the corn cribs. These timbers provide a beautiful dimensionality and aesthetic to the interior. The eight foot nine inch addition was added in the 1800s. The timbers are a combination of oak and beech. The original section has gorgeous oak roof boards.
Details:
-
324 square feet in the original footprint, and 500 square feet including the addition
-
Hewn posts, beams, and rafters
-
Four bent gunstock structure including the addition
-
Gorgeous marriage marks on each beam and brace
-
Stud construction on the gables, and horizontal timber connections on the eave walls
-
Plenty of height in the walls to allow for a shed addition for more space
Possibilities:
This early corn crib barn would be ideally suited for use as a great room addition, studio, kitchen or entrance addition, or as a stand-alone house or cabin. It could also become an outbuilding or barn once again. We are so excited to play a role in saving this very old structure!
 Early Gunstock Corn CribThis photo shows the three original bents plus the later addition. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThis is the addition bent. It is well made and adds 8'9" to the frame. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThis frame has beautiful marriage marks. It is truly a scribed barn, meaning no two pieces are interchangable. |
|---|---|---|
 Early Gunstock Corn CribMost of the rafters are hewn, and the roof boards are beautiful. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribA two inch chisel was used to create the labels on one side of the rafters, and a smaller chisel on the other. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThe rafter pairs in the original section are held together with a hand riven peg. |
 Early Gunstock Corn CribThese marriage marks were added while the frame was being cut on the ground prior to the barn raising. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribI love the marriage marks! |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThe posts are jowled, meaning that they taper from smaller at the base to larger at the top. |
 Early Gunstock Corn CribThe roof boards on the original section are made of oak. They are beautiful. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThe three rafter pairs that are aligned with bents have this gorgeous tenon going into the tie beam. |  Early Gunstock Corn CribI found this broken draw knife buried in the dirt below the floor. Could it have been used in the construction of the barn? Note the perpendicular tenons on each post. |
 Early Gunstock Corn CribI love this intersection between the midpost, top plate, tie beam, and rafter. So complex and well executed! |  Early Gunstock Corn CribThe tie beam has a half dovetail to help withstand the outward forces of the roof load. |  Drawings and DimensionsFor more drawings click on the image and then 'Go to link' |
