Summer Kitchens

Finding a historic summer kitchen on a large rural estate is a true find.  Some of these stone buildings are beautiful and very well maintained.  Many over a century old, still  have the original utensils and hearth wares.   I  have had the pleasure of photographing several in Delaware Township of Hunterdon County over the past few years.

One of my favorites is shown below

I’ll show a few views of this fabulous summer kitchen both inside and out.  Many of these stone buildings have their original hardware for windows and doors and there are always a few entrances and exits.  I love these well squared doorways.

My visit to this summer kitchen was in the early summer when the gardens were in bloom.  Not only are the buildings well maintained, but the herb and flowers are kept in bloom.

All of the entrances to the summer kitchen are inviting leading to more treasures inside..

Amazing to find the hearth so intact with all of the wrought iron supplies for carrying food, pots and pans, brackets for hanging cookware over the fire.

It was a remarkably sunny summer kitchen with thick walls and many windows.

The current owner dresses the window sills with dried herbs.  An elegant touch.

The next very special summer kitchen does triple duty as I will explain in a bit.  From every angle, this summer kitchen is a joy to behold.

This summer kithcen is a springhouse, a smoke house and a summer kitchen.  Making it very useful to the household all year long.

It is a thoughtfully planned structure with provisions for baking, cooking, laundry, smoking, and storage.

There is a discharge for the washing machine through the stone shelf on the right side to the outside of the building.

Evidence of the smoking house activity is apparently on the ceiling.  There are many useful and interesting architectural details in this summer kitchen.

This summer kitchen is beautiful preserved and maintained.  It is an historic treasure.

In Delaware Township on the same property as my favorite springhouse, is the stone building shown below.  I believe that this too was a summer kitchen, between the main house and the springhouse.  It is in disrepair but still upright and standing.  I hope someone soon decides to do some restoration but I think demolition is more likely.