The article gives a detailed account of the house, its exterior appearance and arrangement of rooms, etc., but evidently the author was not a craftsman as he writes of shingles upon the front wall and on ‘the end nearest town’; and of the rear wall as ‘panelled.’ Also that the path from Main street was of ‘gravel originally imported from England, but has lately been covered with native soil.’
Mention is made of the barn ‘to the right and farther away [than the slave quarters] still in a good state of preservation considering its age, and ornamented with a small and quaint looking cupola.’
The summer house described at some length, was said in the former days to contain a huge punch bowl. The writer's mythology is a little at fault, however, as the account reads, ‘roof surmounted by a large carved wooden statue of Mars, at present minus arms and somewhat bent from a perpendicular and dignified position.’
The steps thereto were ‘composed of a peculiar dark freestone (probably imported) and partially covered with moss.’
The central brick wall is also mentioned as ‘through the two lower stories.’ This wall in the residence at Antiqua from which the present one was modelled was to guard against the effect of earthquakes.
The article closes with, ‘In building his new house it is the intention of Mr. Barr to have one apartment finished off with the trimmings and in the style of one of the present rooms in which he will retain many relics of the original edifice. The summer house will also be rebuilt in its first form with a new statue of Mars upon its top.’
