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Saltbox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Saltbox is a wooden frame house with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back. A Saltbox has just one story in the back and two stories in the front. The flat front and central chimney are recognizable features, but the asymmetry of the unequal sides and the long, low rear roof line are the most distinctive features of a saltbox, which takes its name from a wooden lidded box in which salt was kept.
The Saltbox originated in New England, and is an example of American colonial architecture. It was first seen around 1650 and remained popular for simple structures throughout the colonial period and the early Republic, perhaps because of the simplicity of its design.
Saltboxes, along with many other types of colonial houses, can be considered to be timber-frame houses. Timber framing, or post-and-beam construction, involves joining large pieces of wood with woodworking joints, such as mortise-and-tenon joints, or with wooden pegs, braces, or trusses. Metal nails were sparingly used, because of their expense. Timber frame construction was the construction method for all frame houses in 17th and 18th century America, where the abundance of wood made the timber frame house popular. The exterior of a Saltbox was often finished with clapboard or other wooden siding.