Time Travel Thursday #12 - Historical New England Architecture

"We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories.

Some take us forward, they're called dreams."
~Jeremy Irons~

Welcome to the 12th Time Travel Thursday linky party at The Brambleberry Cottage!

Are you ready to share your fondest memories, grandest dreams,

and most creative projects? Great!

Well, this week, my post is going to take a slightly different twist. 

Normally, I would post about a recent project for this party.  But I have so many new

projects in the works that none have been completed!

Can you relate?

Instead, I decided to share some of the incredible 1700 and 1800s 

New England architecture I photographed during my extended stay there,

a number of weeks ago.

One of the observations I made about the older architecture of

New England was that everything seems to be on a much grander scale.

For instance, this wonderful old, sprawling Victorian

was graced with the most mangificent—and incredibly large—corbels.

And even its simple stoops were embellished with 

the most decorative porticos.

I could have taken, literally, dozens of photos of stoops on houses with very similar

porticos—each bearing its own unique design.  It must have

been a very common decorative element for certain house styles during the mid-1800s.

Everything about the older houses I saw was a tribute to

the artisans who designed and built them.

Just take a look at the window trim, the gable shingles, the porch columns,

and the railing on the grand dame above.

These beauties were built at a time during our nation's history when

attention to detail was the norm.

I really loved this sweet, old cottage—with its Gothic embellishments. 

Too bad I can't move it to my little farm in NC; I'm sure it would look fantastic here!

Of course, the traditional elements of design—ones typically associated

 with our country's forefathers—were also quite prevelant.

This door surround, with its impressive pediment, was so

massive that I felt dwarfed standing next to it!

Even the public buildings of antiquity—like this post office in Old Deerfield...

and this amazing old church...

and even this old town hall in Hatley—oozed with character and charm...

traits only age and time can adequately produce.

After weeks of touring New England, visiting dozens of these incredible

testaments to creative craftsmanship, the old adage "it's all

in the details" rings even more true to me!   ; )

A Bit of Barn Envy

I thought I would show you some of the incredible barns
I've discovered while visiting New England. 

If you're a barn chick—like me—you'll love what I've found! 

Just take a look for yourself.

The rustic, time-weathered wood, simple lines, and contrasting red

doors of this beauty—in historic Deerfield, MA—made this barn

one of my absolute all-time favorites.

After weeks of observing the numerous barns dotting the landscape

 throughout New England, I've discovered red 

to be the most popular color.

Though only portions of this oldie were visible above the corn stalks,

I really liked what I could see.

The morning I happened upon this snow-white beauty,

it was rather foggy.  But the fog-covered mountains simply served to produce a 

wonderful, ethereal backdrop for it.

I was astounded at how incredibly large many of the barns were that I found!

What on earth was all that space used for?

I'm unsure whether this fire station—again, in historic Deerfield, MA—was

newly constructed to look old or whether it was truly an old barn

that had been repurposed.

Either way, I liked the colors and the cupolas on the roof.

Though smaller than the majority of the barns I found around New England,

these two tiny tots were quite charming

in their quaint, bucolic settings.

The stacked-stone foundation on this one—located in New Hampshire—

was one of the features I liked best about it!

And this picturesque view—of an old tobacco barn, in a valley

behind the 1771 Town Hall of Whately, MA—was the highlight of one of the days spent

touring around New England, scouting out noteworthy old barns.

The cupola on this massive madame reminded me of one you would

see on a church.  No doubt, it could hold a rather large congregation.   ; )

It was totally worth the climb—up a steep hill, in flimsy sandals—

to get a peek at this old gal, hidden behind the lush greenery.

There's actually a quaint little eatery attached to this barn.

The Yankee and I had breakfast there one morning—accompanied by my in-laws.

This weathered warrior—looking even more rustic amid all 

that floral glory—was located behind a creamery

where we stopped for ice cream.

I have never seen a barn with this

particular design before.  Have you?

Here you see two of my favorite things playing nicely together...

an old barn and antiques.

We were very excited to find this rustic cutie on an old country road

where the Yankee grew up.  He actually played in this structure as a child.

This country charmer belonged to a school dedicated to training "new" farmers.

But, of all the barns I've been able to photograph so far during this trip,

 this last one is my very, very favorite.

I truly love my quaint little farm back in NC, with its wonderful

old barns and outbuildings, but I must admit...

I'm dealing with a bit of barn envy

after spending several weeks in New England.   ; )

Linking all this vintage barn charm to Maryt's Ruby Tuesday,

 and Suzanne's Vintage Thingie Thursday.