From 1954 until 2008, the outside of the house was cedar shakes covered with gray paint. It was a fine, traditional look for a New England house, except that people often mistook the cedar shakes for asbestos shingles. All of the cedar was removed, and clapboards were installed, about a decade ago. All nine windows on the main bedroom level were replaced with custom built windows at that time.
The new clapboards look like cedar, but in fact it is Harvey cement board (Hardi-Plank), a nearly indestructible modern material. Do not try to nail it; you would have to drill a hole first or else use a high pressure nail gun. A completely new Tyvek underlayment was installed under the Hardi-Plank. It is highly fire-retardant and earns a significant discount from many insurance companies.