Bark Siding History

Pre- 1895
Siding made of bark was used historically as exterior sheathing for centuries by Native Americans across North America. They stripped the trees and tied the bark to pole structures and lodges. Air flowed naturally through these dwellings so there was no need for refinement or drying.


	The Squared Chestnut Bark Shingle 1895 The first time a squared bark shingle was used was in 1895 in Linville, NC. Henry Bacon, AIA is most renowned for designing the famous Lincoln Memorial. He introduced the style and set the standard for future Linville designs. His influence soon reached through other major resort communities in the Appalachian chain including Blowing Rock and Highlands. The shingle was made from the bark of the American Chestnut tree. Two variables differentiate his method. First, only the bark was used as a shingle. Others before him had used slabs from the first cut of the tree with bark intact to clad dwellings. Second, he squared the bottom edge of the bark mechanically with a hand saw. This created a refinement that is not otherwise noted in previous applications. Bacon created the first true squared bark shingle. The home pictured here is one of his first projects using this technique.
	Bark structures of this era were mainly for Summer Holiday. The walls were not insulated and air flowed from inside to outside spaces. Bark shingles could be applied without the strict kiln drying procedures of today because the bark could in essence, dry on the structure. Another difference between past applications and today’s installation is there was often a full shingle lap (behind every shingle was another layer of bark). Therefore, when the shingles shrank and gaps emerged, there was a second layer of bark to maintain the integrity of the structure. Using a full shingle lap required more than double the amount of bark we use today. Innovations in proper kiln drying and installation techniques, the cost of bark shingle production, and today’s forestry conservation practices make a full shingle lap undesirable and unnecessary.
	1920 Popularity Grows Bark from the American Chestnut tree is used on second homes. Here, the bark is being transported from the forest to jobsites using a wooden sled and oxen. Chestnut bark was used almost exclusively because it was readily available. Saw mills peeled chestnut bark to sell to tanneries and sawed the logs for framing lumber. While writing Bark House Style, author and HC co-owner Chris McCurry, discovered that her great-grandfather Dow Hollifield made and sold chestnut bark shingles. Pictured here is her great-uncle on delivery.
	1930 Bark shingles are also used on commercial buildings as seen here on the Old Linville Depot in Linville, NC.
	The bark of the Yellow Poplar is used to clad local’s homes in the mountains of NC. The bark peeled in large smooth sheets and was sturdy. Some of these private residences sided with Poplar Bark in the 30’s are still standing in good condition and can still be viewed today.
	1950 In early 1900, a blight accidentally introduced from China began infecting The American Chestnut. By 1950, the keystone specie had disappeared on some nine million acres of eastern forests. Photo courtesy of The American Chestnut Society.
	With Chestnut bark shingles no longer available and styles changing, the beautiful Old Linville Depot pictured above in bark shingles was re-clad with brick. The art of the Bark Shingle disappears for 60 years.
	1986 Inspiration: Marty McCurry (first to manufacture the squared poplar bark shingle) was shown photos in which poplar bark shingles were used to patch an historic chestnut bark home. The bark in the image was applied “green” because a single piece curved and wrapped a corner. Afterwards, the shingles shrunk and fell off the structure because they were not dried properly, but this image confirmed McCurry’s mission to use natural elements in home construction.
	1990 Research: McCurry attends UNCC School of Architecture. His admissions packet included writings, photos and sketches of elements from nature and their use in building applications. While there, he did textural studies on poplar bark and began his research on this material. Having attended NC State in Chemical Engineering and Forest Resources and having worked with natural materials in home construction, McCurry took this opportunity to refine his skills and deepen his study.
	1993 Development: McCurry spent countless weekends collecting old woodworking tools in antique malls, and studying them. The tools for barking had long disappeared from general manufacturing. He studied A Reverence For Wood, a book about old tools and human ingenuity for implementation of natural wood forms.
	1994 Implementation: McCurry helped his sister and brother-in-law clad their home in poplar bark shingles. To our knowledge, this was the first modern built home clad totally in poplar bark shingles.
	1996 Commercialization: Highland Craftsmen sells product in bulk commercially. Maintenance-free bark siding is increasingly the material of choice for exclusive residential and commercial projects, and Highland Craftsmen is the premier purveyor. We stand behind our products with outstanding technical support and customer service. You can have confidence in our products and services, as we have over 20 years experience and continue to research and field test all applications.
	2008 Bark House Style, Sustainable Designs from Nature The book took 5years to develop.

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