Bark House Style Celebrates the Past and the Present of Bark Siding

Story by Kathleen McFadden

An architectural artform indigenous to North Carolina, bark siding essentially died out with the demise of the mountain chestnuts in the early 20th century, but in recent years, the practice of sheathing structures in bark has undergone a resurgence, thanks to the discovery that poplar bark is similar in function, appearance and longevity to chestnut bark.

To celebrate the history of bark structures and its comeback, two local women have collaborated on a new book, Bark House Style, Sustainable Designs from Nature.

Chris McCurry is the co-founder and vice president of Highland Craftsmen Inc., the original poplar bark shingle manufacturer located in Spruce Pine. She is a pioneer in today’s indoor-outdoor Bark House ® design and creator of the Bark House ® style. Highland Craftsmen Inc. began in 1990, and today the company’s products are used in more than 30 states and internationally.

Nan Chase is a longtime freelance writer and author of the recently published Asheville: A History. Chase’s work has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, and she is currently working on a new book called Edible Landscape.
Chase learned about poplar bark when writing promotional copy for Highland Craftsmen Inc. and subsequently teamed up with McCurry to produce a book on the history, beauty and diverse applications of bark siding.

Stunningly visual, the book includes a number of historical photographs as well as current photos of homes and structures incorporating bark siding. Local photographer Todd Bush provided the principal photography.

Whether your interest is history, architecture, sustainable building products or pure art, Bark House Style offers loads of information, with informative chapters on bark house history, the modern bark revival, best building practices and new bark design.

Readers will learn about architect Henry Bacon—the man who later designed the Lincoln Memorial—and his founding of the Old Linville squared-bark shingle style. Readers will learn about how the wealthy beneficiaries of the Gilded Age adopted the rustic look as their style of choice for getaways in mountain retreats. Readers will also learn how poplar bark is harvested today and why its use is considered a green building practice. And readers will discover how the selection of bark siding for the clubhouse at Diamond Creek in Banner Elk set off a local buzz among local architects and builders.

Although extremely local, the book has wider focus, incorporating the history of bark usage in places as remote from the High Country as the New York Adirondacks and Oregon and its current use in states such as Washington and Texas.

Bark House Style will be released in September by Gibbs Smith (www.gibbs-smith.com), a publisher that specializes in beautifully illustrated lifestyle books covering topics such as interior design, architecture, cooking and many more. The book retails for $30.