Henry Davis Livestock Barn

Address:

310 Bluff Mountain Road
Hot Springs NC 28743

Year Built: 1930s

Historic Owners: Danny Gillespie from 3/30/1888 to 12/1/1974

Description:

This livestock barn represents a typical chestnut log livestock barn built during the first quarter of the 20^th century in the Spring Creek township. The log corner notching is the simpler saddle notch that requires less time and skill than the earlier half dovetail notch or V-notch, and represents the later generation of log building in Madison County. This barn includes some logs that have scarring from the chestnut blight disease, indicating that those trees were cut after the chestnut blight infected the chestnut trees of the region, around 1924. Typical of most early 20^th century log barns, this one has been adapted for use in the air curing of burley tobacco which became the primary cash crop in the early 1920’s as flue-cured tobacco was being phased out. Many of the chestnut logs still have their original bark, a material that no longer exists and is the only example of mature chestnut bark that people of this era will ever see.

Historic Use: Burley tobacco

Type of Construction: Hewn Timbers and Notched Logs

Siding Materials: Milled Boards

Roof Shape: Gable

Roofing Materials: Split wood Shingles and 5-V metal

Roof Framing: Milled rafters

Foundation:

Species of Wood: Chestnut and Various Other

Hinges: Commercial Metal

Fasteners: Wire nails

Additional Features:

Outbuildings: None survived

NOTE: The information above is an abridged list. For the full unabridged list (complete details), please download the PDF of the Data Form above.