Maryland

Hess House, Keedysville, Maryland (39.486811, -77.700316)

(a) Primary House Felling dates Spring 1776, Winter 1776/7, Spring 1777

(a) Summer beam (1/1) 1756 (+6nm); Joist (1/1) 1765; Collars (5/5) 1776 (¼C); Logs (3/3) 1775 (¼C), 1776 (C, ¼C). Site Master 1662-1776 HESSx1 (t = 11.36 ALLENS; 11.24 MATHISTO; 11.18 FDSMx1). Individual sample 1726-1776 hess8 (t = 6.66 ATMx1; 6.47 DC-AREA2; 6.46 PBMx2).

The Hess House was sampled as part of a dendrochronological project funded by the Maryland Historical Trust targeting Germanic buildings in Maryland. The Hess House is a two-story, four-bay log structure with a three-bay stone addition added to the east end. Although the addition of the extension has greatly expanded the kitchen area, the original layout of the log house featured three rooms with a central chimney, a style known as a Flurküchenhaus or entry-kitchen, which was introduced to western Maryland by German immigrants.

Dendrochronological analysis has shown that the original log structure was built from timbers felled in the spring of 1776, the winter of 1776/7, and the spring of 1777.

Worthington, M J, and Seiter, J I, 2014 “The Tree-Ring Dating of the Hess House, Keedysville, Washington County, Maryland”, ODL unpubl rep 2014/02.

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