Tree-ring dating of historic buildings in Willsboro, northeastern New York, and development of regional chronologies for dendroarchaeology

Abstract

Historical timbers have been sampled from buildings at 13 sites in Willsboro, New York, on the west shore of Lake Champlain. Ring-width series from 139 timbers have been successfully crossdated and used to develop tree-ring chronologies for ash (Fraxinus spp.), oak (Quercus spp.), pine (Pinus spp.), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.), and spruce (Picea spp.), which collectively span A.D. 1555 to 1878. Tree cutting dates suggest that Windyview Manor was likely built in or soon after 1799, and a barn and farmhouse at the 1812 Homestead were built in or soon after 1812 and 1813, respectively. These dates are all consistent with documentary records for these sites. Aggregate data for the town suggest a shift in wood use for building during the 19th Century, with ash and oak commonly used for large frame timbers from the 1790s to 1820s, and hemlock and spruce dominating from the 1830s to 1860s. Chronologies developed in this project are among the first from historical timbers for northern New York and will facilitate further dendroarchaeological work in the region.