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 Post subject: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:13 am 
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Location: Hamilton, MS
Thought y'all might be interested in this. :)

This is a local dovetail cabin (1 room) built in the 1850's. Originally slave quarters for the plantation. The hand hewn planks are about 5" thick. This shows the front porch area, which I believe was added much later. This type of construction was considered a step up from the earlier and more primitive log style.

The main house and several other outbuildings and land, were up at auction a couple years ago, but no takers, due to the poor condition of the main house. It's not currently occupied and could still be bought if someone wanted to restore it to it's former glory. It would be a major project, tho.

Image

Main house and separate kitchen and larder (brick building to the left of the main house).

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:36 pm 
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Those 'dovetails' are cut in what on examination appears to be an odd ball fashion. However the intent was for the joints to drain and not collect water from rain, etc.

We learned once on a tour of anti-Bellam (sp) homes that the kitchens were separated from the main house to avoid having the main house catch fire from a kitchen mishap. All of which I'm sure you know. But what we found interesting was the path from the kitchen to the dining room inside the house was called the 'whistling walk'. The slaves were obliged to whistle while they carried the food to the table so's to insure they weren't sampling the wares.

At least that's what the guide claimed.

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:07 pm 
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DennisS wrote:
Those 'dovetails' are cut in what on examination appears to be an odd ball fashion. However the intent was for the joints to drain and not collect water from rain, etc.

We learned once on a tour of anti-Bellam (sp) homes that the kitchens were separated from the main house to avoid having the main house catch fire from a kitchen mishap. All of which I'm sure you know. But what we found interesting was the path from the kitchen to the dining room inside the house was called the 'whistling walk'. The slaves were obliged to whistle while they carried the food to the table so's to insure they weren't sampling the wares.

At least that's what the guide claimed.


Antebellum. I've also heard the "whistling walk" thing, although it was likely specific to a particular area or plantation(s). If you think about it, the kitchen staff would have had plenty of opportunity to sample the food long before it was taken to the house table, and no doubt did with the owners blessing and permission, and most likely cooked up enough for everyone, including any field hands. :)

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:33 pm 
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http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about ... schorn.asp

Gene, this is a cabin I have passed on my way to my bay cottage. Always wanted to stop and check it out but never did. Also the Morton homestead is about a mile from my home but I think that was rebuilt. The Morton Homestead is pretty mucch directly across the Delaware River from the Mortonschorn cabin.

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:13 pm 
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reelinron wrote:
http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp

Gene, this is a cabin I have passed on my way to my bay cottage. Always wanted to stop and check it out but never did. Also the Morton homestead is about a mile from my home but I think that was rebuilt. The Morton Homestead is pretty mucch directly across the Delaware River from the Mortonschorn cabin.


Very similar, although much earlier. This type construction really shouldn't be referred to as a "Log" cabin, since the timbers are cut to size and rectangular. Can't tell what the joinery was in the small pic.

Dennis is correct on the one I posted in that they used the "half-dovetail" for water drainage reasons and still retained the interlocking joinery of the dovetail. This was typical of the English design and was considered superior to German and other designs that used a full dovetail or simple straight notches.

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:44 am 
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Gene wrote:
reelinron wrote:
http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp

Gene, this is a cabin I have passed on my way to my bay cottage. Always wanted to stop and check it out but never did. Also the Morton homestead is about a mile from my home but I think that was rebuilt. The Morton Homestead is pretty mucch directly across the Delaware River from the Mortonschorn cabin.


Very similar, although much earlier. This type construction really shouldn't be referred to as a "Log" cabin, since the timbers are cut to size and rectangular. Can't tell what the joinery was in the small pic.

Dennis is correct on the one I posted in that they used the "half-dovetail" for water drainage reasons and still retained the interlocking joinery of the dovetail. This was typical of the English design and was considered superior to German and other designs that used a full dovetail or simple straight notches.


I am going to stop one day and get a better Pic of the one in Swedesboro NJ. That pic is small, but I thought it looked like dovetails. This will give me a reason to take he closer look I always wanted.

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:46 am 
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Gene wrote:
reelinron wrote:
http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp

Gene, this is a cabin I have passed on my way to my bay cottage. Always wanted to stop and check it out but never did. Also the Morton homestead is about a mile from my home but I think that was rebuilt. The Morton Homestead is pretty mucch directly across the Delaware River from the Mortonschorn cabin.


Very similar, although much earlier. This type construction really shouldn't be referred to as a "Log" cabin, since the timbers are cut to size and rectangular. Can't tell what the joinery was in the small pic.

Dennis is correct on the one I posted in that they used the "half-dovetail" for water drainage reasons and still retained the interlocking joinery of the dovetail. This was typical of the English design and was considered superior to German and other designs that used a full dovetail or simple straight notches.


I am going to stop one day and get a better Pic of the one in Swedesboro NJ. That pic is small, but I thought it looked like dovetails. This will give me a reason to take he closer look I always wanted. It is close to the road but I just never stopped there.

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 Post subject: Re: Really big dovetails
PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:59 am 
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reelinron wrote:
Gene wrote:
reelinron wrote:
http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp

Gene, this is a cabin I have passed on my way to my bay cottage. Always wanted to stop and check it out but never did. Also the Morton homestead is about a mile from my home but I think that was rebuilt. The Morton Homestead is pretty mucch directly across the Delaware River from the Mortonschorn cabin.


Very similar, although much earlier. This type construction really shouldn't be referred to as a "Log" cabin, since the timbers are cut to size and rectangular. Can't tell what the joinery was in the small pic.

Dennis is correct on the one I posted in that they used the "half-dovetail" for water drainage reasons and still retained the interlocking joinery of the dovetail. This was typical of the English design and was considered superior to German and other designs that used a full dovetail or simple straight notches.



I am going to stop one day and get a better Pic of the one in Swedesboro NJ. That pic is small, but I thought it looked like dovetails. This will give me a reason to take he closer look I always wanted.


The website stated it was Swedish construction, so I'd expect it to be full through dovetails just like you'd have on a small box or drawer.

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The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


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