Thanks for the reminder Tim...a lot to remember.

I wonder if that small plate and common rafter combination would make the plate prone to "rolling?" And neat to hear your snap-line update. Maybe you should try some wet charcoal. That would no doubt splatter some.

The Civil War is an interesting variable in dating this barn. Kind of like our French and Indian Wars here in northern New England. It's rare to find a barn here outside of the major population centers that predates this period (1754-1763). Much of the landscape was burned.

I'm eager to see how the various date indicators I use here in Maine compare w/ the southern US. There could be a correlation, or a completely different animal.