Friends of Historic Glasgow (Delaware)

HABS DE-216: La Grange Granary (aka.: Samuel H. Black Farm)

Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey

TITLE: La Grange Granary, U.S. Route 40 near Route 896, Glasgow vicinity, New Castle County, DE

CALL NUMBER: HABS, DEL,2-GLASG.V,1-

REPRODUCTION NUMBER: [See Call Number]

MEDIUM:
Photo(s): 1
Data Page(s): 1 plus cover page

DATE: Documentation compiled after 1933.

NOTE: Survey number HABS DE-216

SUBJECTS: DELAWARE--New Castle County--Glasgow vicinity

OTHER TITLE: Samuel H. Black Farm

COLLECTION: Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY: Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

CARD #: DE0258

Date of construction: 1815

Significance: The La Grange granary was built by Samuel H. Black, who presented the first paper on the values of agricultural reform to the Agricultural Society of New Castle County (1819). The building incorporates consolidated storage and porcessing functions & wheeled access.

Material of Construction: Braced timber frame with post-and-rail walling for senting vertical board siding and lathing.

Shape and dimension of structure: Rectangular: approximately 20' by 24' gable and entry. The interior contains a central runway with flanking corn cribs. The loft area, for grain storage, is open.

Exterior Features of Note: This is the earliest documented example of a drive-through granary of the type that was to become popular throughout the area in the mid 19th-century. The building was entered by a slight earthen ramp against the east gable wall.

Interior Features of Note: Entry into the building is from the east elevation. A central runway is blocked off with a vertical board wall and loft stairs at the west end. The flanking corn cribs are solidly sheathed to a heigh of approximately 3' and then horizontally lathed. The loft area is sheathed to a height of 4'.

Major Alterations and Additions with Dates: NONE.

Present condition and use: Good condition; general storage.

Other information as appropriate: This building is illustrated in a watercolor view of the farm that was executed in 1817 (two years after completion of the house and outbuildings). As a forerunner of the buildings associated with local agricultural reforms, the La Grange granary provided access for wheeled traffic and consolidated work spaces.

Sources of information: Cultural Resource Survey, DE. Bureau of Archeology and Historic Preservation. D.G. Beers, "Atlas of the State of Delaware," 1868. Samuel Henry Black, "Extract Book," Special Collections, Morris Library, University of Delaware, ca. 1815-1820.

Compiler, Affiliation: Bernard L. Herman, Asst. Director, Center for Historic Architecture and Engineering, Univ. of Delaware.

Date: May 30, 1985.

Links

HABS DE-216: La Grange Granary (aka.: Samuel H. Black Farm)
PHOTO: Granary -- East showing Northwest & Southwest elevations
HABS DE-216: La Grange Granary - 2 data pages