We've a ca. 1770 center passage house with a ca. 1790 interior painting  
scheme. During the mid-1970's restoration, a drop ceiling was removed from what  
was presumed to be a Colonial era parlor, and an  unpainted "raw" section of 
the ceiling and beams (that double as  joists & floorboards for the second 
floor), extending approximately three  meters out and above the end hearth, running 
wall to wall, was  exposed. All other hearth areas in the home have painted  
ceilings. 
 
It's been our understanding that such areas were left unfinished to mask  the 
soot/smoke of the fireplace, or to alleviate the problem of a painted finish  
bubbling with the heat. Tradition informs us that the owner was a licensed  
tavern keeper, and that he not only did some cooking in the room, but might  
also have used the arrangement for  the smoking of hams et al  (supposedly, a 
screen or apron suspended from the ceiling prevented the smoke  from wafting to 
the other rooms). Another speculation: a bar cage was swung down  from the 
beam, securing the intoxicants before and after business hours; the  restoration 
architect indicated to me that there were indeed some tantalizing  clues, 
suggestions of an old framework, that point to such a scenario. (I  believe the 
Raleigh Tavern at Colonial Williamsburg has both a bar cage and  unpainted 
ceiling; however, that arrangement does not seem to block off the  hearth, as ours 
would have seemingly done). 
 
It's all very intriguing, and makes for a lively tour, but we would  really 
like to try to "clear up the smoke" with the conundrum that  literally hangs 
over our heads. Your thoughts solicited ... and greatly  appreciated!
 
Chuck Jacobs
Curator
The (Colonel) Joel Lane Museum House
"The Birthplace of Raleigh, North Carolina"

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