Pre-Colonial Homes

[Jim Morrison]

The chimneys on a fair number of homes in my hometown are painted white with a (roughly) 8 inch black band at the top. A local broker swears this is what Loyalists did to express their displeasure with the fact that the Colonists had won independence from Great Britain -similar to wearing a black armband.

It almost sounds plausible until you remember that Loyalists with any sense beat feet to Canada or England after the war. Can you imagine how Colonists (especially those who had fought or lost a friend or family member in the war) would have reacted to such a display?

I think it's absurd, but there are enough of them around to warrant the question: Does anyone know why chimneys were painted this way?

Jimmy

[Brian G]

I don't know, but I'll take a flyer at it. They may have liked white chimneys but couldn't keep the top several inches from getting sooty. Maybe they decided to just paint that part black and be done with it (?).

Brian G.

[Bill Kibbel]

The broker is perpetuating a myth that I have also heard numerous times. They are commonly called a "Tory Chimney", and are found almost exclusively in eastern Mass. There is no documentation to indicate any chimneys were painted until the early 20th century. No one knows why this particular decoration became popular.

Jim, Wouldn't "Pre-Colonial Homes" refer to shelters constructed by the Native Americans before we came over and screwed everything up?

[Scottpat]

I have no idea as ya Yankees burned everything to the ground during the war of oppression in our part of the country. Heck my city was called Chimneyville!

I like Brian's theory.

[Jim Morrison]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

Jim, Wouldn't "Pre-Colonial Homes" refer to shelters constructed by the Native Americans before we came over and screwed everything up?

Too true. And anyone who is dumb enough to paint a chimney deserves to have silly stories made up about them if you ask me.

[akatia]

The chimneys were painted this way so the British would know that Loyalists, or Tories, inhabited that home and it wouldnt be burned down, since the British were in the habit of doing that to the Colonists. These home are abundant all over New England, not just Massachusetts.