Barnhart Rice House, Wooster, Ohio
| Barnhart Rice House | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Alternative names | Stone House |
| General information | |
| Address | Williams Rd. on campus of OARDC |
| Town or city | Wooster, Ohio |
| Country | United States |
| Completed | c.1820s |
The Barnhart Rice House, often referred to as the "Stone House", is located on Williams Rd. on the campus of the OARDC. It was built in stages during the early 1820's from hand-hewn sandstone ashlar blocks quarried only a couple hundred yards from where it stands by Frederick Rice Sr. It was recognized as a County Historical Landmark in 1976 by the Wayne County Historical Society of Ohio.
Frederick Rice Sr. moved to Wooster, Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1812, looking for good farm land and a location for a home. He first considered land where the College of Wooster now stands but decided against it because the water springs in that area would often dry-up during the mid-summer and mid-winter. He decided to purchase two sections of land in the Madison Hill area where ample water supplies were present. He built two homes on the land for his sons, Barnhart and Simon. Construction of these homes covered the period between 1820-1825.
For the Barnhart Rice home, Frederick Rice quarried and shaped stone from the surrounding land. Construction was slow, which is evidenced by the thickness of the central interior walls which are as great as that of the outside walls. This type of construction provided a portion of the house which could be lived-in while additional rooms were added as the building process progressed.
The Barnhart Rice House is one of the very best surviving examples of German vernacular architecture that exists within Wayne County and is one of nine stone houses built in the county[1]
The building sustained damage during a 2017 storm that necessitated replacing the roof as well as other structural repairs.
Features
Constructed of sandstone ashlar blocks quarried on the farm near the construction site of the house.
Gallery
Storm damage to gardens and Barnhart Rice House, 2017, Secrest Arboretum
Articles
Magazine Articles
The Wonderful World of Ohio Magazine, November 1970, Stone Houses, by William I. Schreiber, p.44-45
The Wonderful World of Ohio Magazine, November 1970, Stone Houses, by William I. Schreiber, p.46-47
References
What Links Here
- ↑ The Wonderful World of Ohio Magazine, November 1970, Stone Houses, by William I. Schreiber, p.44-47