Tales of Historic Chimneys and Their Stories

“One may have a blazing hearth in one’s soul and yet no one ever came to sit by it. Passers-by see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.” – Vincent van Gogh

For many years, chimneys had been written about, talked about, and were a place of solace. A form of heat. The main cooking option. A place of celebration. A community gathering. The chimney goes back into history for centuries.

The chimney has a long history, first in the “dark ages” when the fire was built in the middle of the room. The “dark ages” begin as far back in European history between the 5th and 14th centuries. Smoke billowing up to the rafters. Holes were placed in the roof to allow the smoke to escape. These chimneys date back to at least the twelfth century. Hence the reason they were called the “dark ages”. We have come a long way since this time in history.

As time went on chimneys were built with stone and brick. Homes were built with two chimneys.  This being two fireplaces in the house as they were constructed. One in the kitchen and one in the living room. 

In the eighteenth century, the English courts required bricks to be used to build a chimney.  This was to eliminate unnecessary fires. Early American colonists did not have access to brick. They continued to make their chimneys out of wood with a clay liner. 

Shortly after, New England colonists began to make their bricks. In 1629 a group of Puritans arrived in Salem, Massachusetts. They had found that the clay in these parts was excellent for making bricks and clay pots. By the eighteenth-century bricks had become far more common. 

Workers made bricks by hand. Brickmakers would make the bricks by collecting the clay. The brickmakers would then add sand and water and put it into a mold. Once the content dried in the mold it was turned out and dried in a kiln. It took many man-hours to complete enough bricks to make a chimney.

This tedious task continued until 1852. At that point inventor, Richard VerValen invented a steam-powered machine. This machine shaped the bricks for production making the task easier.

Today, there are easier ways and machinery to make bricks. Chimney makers can construct a chimney with much ease. The time it takes to make bricks and construct a chimney has decreased over the years. Today there are all types of chimneys. We can make center chimneys and one or two-story chimneys.  The options are endless.  

We at Chimney Solutions of Indiana can walk you through the process. We can help you make a decision that is right for you.

We are all things chimneys. Our technicians are professionals. At Chimney Solutions of Indiana, we are experienced in all aspects of chimneys. They can provide information on all the services that we perform. 

Call Chimney Solutions of Indiana at (317) 757-6979 or request an appointment via our contact form.