It looks like I should have read the whole thread before I posted, and
Wolf answered my question for me.

On Sat, 31 May 2008 01:39:29 -0400, mm
wrote:

I saw the question about the sagging gate, and remembered this
question.

I was at the Hermitage a couple weeks ago, just east of Nashville, the
home of Andrew Jackson before he was president and afterwards.

Back from the main house are a bunch of buildings including one group
of two houses, one of which had a door that was braced with heavy duty
angle iron at each end of a 3/8" metal rod, threaded at both ends.

That would be just right except the rod ran from the top outside
corner to the bottom inside near the hinge.

What is the point of that? Was the door lifting up and needed to be
pulled down?

Do any of you guys live near Nashville and you could check it out?
I should have asked before I left, but I guess I thought it would take
a long time to get the answer, and then I forgot.