Constructing Connecticut: Cultural Transmission & Timber Framing 1680-1730

By Nevan Carling

October 10, 2024

6:30pm-7:30pm

This talk will consider the distinctive timber frame style developed in the Greater Hartford Area in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Connecticut’s architectural and building traditions of this period have long been overlooked and primarily compared to those found in the Boston Bay. This talk seeks to elucidate a building tradition developed in Connecticut, and consider our buildings as culturally distinct among those found in the rest of New England. These case studies will include the John Goodwin House c. 1698, the Riley/Adams House c. 1722, the Noah Webster House c. 1700-25, the Buttolph-Williams House ~1711, the Jonathan Demming House c. 1665, and many others. While many of these houses are still with us, many more have been demolished in only the last 100 years. Creating awareness of our unique and fascinating history is the first step in preserving this treasure for future generations.

About the Presenter: Nevan Carling is a conservation timber framer based in Connecticut. He is a graduate of the University of York, England, where he earned a First Class undergraduate degree in Archaeology and Heritage Management. He is currently pursuing an MSc in Timber Building Conservation at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in Chichester, England. Nevan works as a conservation timber framer and teaches/demonstrates hewing at the Eric Sloane Museum in Kent, CT.



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