The Historic District

kelt65 wrote:
Almost certainly slate. I've never heard of wood shakes being used in the south.

Kelt, although there are several old homes around here that still have the original slate, they are somewhat fancier homes, not sure if this one would of had it.

Nicholas wrote:

kelt65 wrote:
Almost certainly slate. I've never heard of wood shakes being used in the south.

Kelt, although there are several old homes around here that still have the original slate, they are somewhat fancier homes, not sure if this one would of had it.

It was the cheapest thing at one time. My little house had soft black slate, lifespan about 90 years. It was very cheap, and probably used for every modest house up until the 1920's. What else would it have been made of? Weren't many other options at the time. If late enough, it may have been asbestos tiles. When was it built?

kelt65 wrote:

Nicholas wrote:

kelt65 wrote:
Almost certainly slate. I've never heard of wood shakes being used in the south.

Kelt, although there are several old homes around here that still have the original slate, they are somewhat fancier homes, not sure if this one would of had it.

It was the cheapest thing at one time. My little house had soft black slate, lifespan about 90 years. It was very cheap, and probably used for every modest house up until the 1920's. What else would it have been made of? Weren't many other options at the time. If late enough, it may have been asbestos tiles. When was it built?

It started out as a 3 or 4 room, 720 sf cottage with an 8 x 26 full porch in 1915.

As far as the attic goes, since the main wall is through the center of the house, maybe I can use the kingpost method of support, if I need to do anything at all.

Nicholas wrote:It started out as a 3 or 4 room, 720 sf cottage with an 8 x 26 full porch in 1915.

As far as the attic goes, since the main wall is through the center of the house, maybe I can use the kingpost method of support, if I need to do anything at all.

I take it back, both asphalt and asbestos were used as early as 1890. I'd just never seen it around here. Still, soft black slate was probably what it had, considering the battens there for such tiles.

kelt65 wrote:

Nicholas wrote:It started out as a 3 or 4 room, 720 sf cottage with an 8 x 26 full porch in 1915.

As far as the attic goes, since the main wall is through the center of the house, maybe I can use the kingpost method of support, if I need to do anything at all.

I take it back, both asphalt and asbestos were used as early as 1890. I'd just never seen it around here. Still, soft black slate was probably what it had, considering the battens there for such tiles.

That is interesting, I would like to find out, maybe the older-than-me-timer up the street might remember.