Lightfoot House Shingle

Dateca.1750

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Williamsburg, Lightfoot House

Dimensions18.25" x 4.25" x 0.5" butt, 0.25" top

Object numberAF-3.10.15

DescriptionWooden round butt shingle with a slight taper in depth from butt end to top end. The edges at the butt end are still sharp, and the remnants of red finish extend about halfway up the piece. At that time, tar-based coatings were commonly used on roofs and exterior walls of secondary buildings as weatherproofing. There is a very small nail hole about halfway up where a nail had attached the shingle to the roof sheathing.
Label TextThis 18th-century shingle from the Lightfoot House on Francis Street retains early red paint that sealed the shingle from harmful elements such as wind and rain. In the 18th and 19th centuries, homeowners knew the importance of weatherproofing their structures. A Virginia Gazette advertisement from the 1750s showed that John Greenhow was selling tar and turpentine at his Williamsburg store.
ProvenanceLightfoot House