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Weather Vanes and Slate Roofing

A weather vane is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament at the highest point of a building. Although partly functional, weather vanes are generally decorative, often featuring the traditional cockerel design with letters indicating the points of the compass. Other common motifs include ships, arrows and horses, or as in the case of this one in Annisquam at Lobster Cove, a lobster. The word ‘vane’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘fane’ meaning ‘flag’.

Slate roofing was used in the eastern part of the country prior to the American Revolution. Despite this, the slate industry did not gain prominence here until the mid-nineteenth century.  A number of factors contributed to the industry’s development including the advent of cheaper forms of transportation, first by canal and later by rail. An increasing U.S. population (which almost tripled in the years from 1830 to 1860) increased the demand for housing and building materials.  Architectural tastes also contributed to advances in the slate industry. The prevailing architectural styles of the mid-nineteenth century placed strong emphasis on prominent rooflines. Slate, laid in multi-colored decorative patterns, and was particular suited to the curved or straight Mansard roofs of the Second Empire style and the steeply pitched roofs of the High Victorian Gothic. Installed properly, slate roofs require relatively little maintenance and will last 60 to 125 years or longer depending on the type of slate employed, roof configuration, and the geographical location of the property. Some slates have been known to last over 200 years.