Potato house facts for kids

A potato house is a special building used to store harvested potatoes or sweet potatoes. These buildings were very common in places like Sussex County, Delaware, and nearby areas of Delaware and Maryland in the early 1900s. This was when a lot of sweet potatoes were grown there.

Similar buildings were also used in Maine to store potatoes.

Potato Houses in Delaware

The potato houses in Delaware were usually two stories tall. They were made of wood and had a tall, narrow shape. In winter, they were heated with a coal or wood stove. Potatoes were stored inside from October until February. They needed to stay at a steady temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

Keeping Potatoes Cool and Fresh

Potato houses were built to let air move freely around the stored crops. Sometimes, there were small gaps between the storage bins and the outside walls, or at the floor level. The tall, narrow design of the houses also helped air move around. Windows were often placed at the top of the house. These could be opened to let air out if it got too warm inside.

To protect the potatoes even more, the houses had several layers of siding. They also used red rosin paper to seal against cold drafts. Sometimes, sawdust was used as insulation to keep the temperature stable.

What They Looked Like

Most potato houses were two stories high with a pointed, or gable, roof. The main entrances were at the ends of the building. There were doors on both the first and second floors at the front. An attic window in the gable helped with ventilation.

At the back, there was usually a door on the first floor and windows on the second floor and in the gable. The sides of the buildings were often plain, with windows or doors that had shutters. All openings were made to fit very tightly to keep the inside temperature steady. While two-story houses were typical, some were 1-1/2 stories or even three stories tall.

Today's Potato Houses

Most of these old potato houses have either been torn down or changed to be used for other things. However, some of the remaining potato houses are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are recognized as important historical buildings.

Potato Houses in Maine

As more potatoes were grown in the upper Saint John valley in Maine, farmers needed places to store them. At first, they used adapted barns, which were often low Acadian barns, or even the basements of their homes.

As more potatoes were grown, farmers got more draft animals to help with the work. This led to changes in Maine barns and storage methods. Soon, special potato barns were built just for storing potatoes. These were often built into hillsides, which helped keep them cool. They were also ideally located near a railroad, making it easy to ship the potatoes out to market.