Acadian Archives

Potato barns are one of the distinctive architectures of the region - partially underground and surrounded by earth, they were designed to store barrels of potatoes at a constant, cool temperature. Potato barns contain small stoves to ward off frost in the winter; the chimneys, in addition to the subterranean architecture, help identify a potato barn.

This potato house in New Canada (formerly Daigle) was originally built as an ice house, according to the survey paperwork that accompanies its photos. It was 1.5 stories with one bay, unknown frame construction, no chimney (built as an ice house, so an interesting example), metal gambrel roof, wood shingle exterior walls, and a fieldstone foundation. An Acadian man named Demasse Pelletier designed and built this for himself in the 1920s for agricultural purposes. The subsequent significant owner was Leo F. Pelletier (likely his son) who owned the potato house at the time of the survey.