Evergreen Plantation - from SCIWAY with the following references: - Work Projects Administration, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 3 (A Public Domain Book) - Historic Properties - Downtown Anderson organization The plantation house and original slave quarters have been preserved and well-kept which, come to find out, is quite the rarity. Despite the fact that the Ward family was one of the most powerful and wealthy families in South Carolina at the time, the plantation eventually fell into their hands. The terrifying Candyland plantation, run by the brutal Candie, is also featured in the movie. Individuals who married Protestants and Catholics were required to receive forgiveness in the sixth degree. The National Park Service and the Evergreen Plantation worked together to document historic sites on the property. Walking the grounds and actually following the slave's path, and seeing how they slept and cooked and worked.. in contrast with touring the plantation house-- was a profound and moving experience to say the least. [6][7], It is a production site of films such as Django Unchained (2012)[8] and Antebellum (2020). Many were exceptionally skilled, working as long sawyers, coopers, carpenters, blacksmiths, engineers, seamstresses, and domestics. Among the outbuildings are a garconnire, where young bachelors of the family or male guests could stay; a pigeonnier for keeping pigeons (a sign of status among the planters); an overseer's cottage; and late Enlistment Papers under the alias Edward Edmonds, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Ned was sold away from his family, friends, and home and was forced to board the ship Cyane in Richmond, Virginia, on November 18, 1851. Evergreen Plantation, located in Edgard, Louisiana, is one of the most intact slaveholding sites in the South, dating back to 1790. The Evergreen Plantation in Alabama is one of only two remaining antebellum sugar plantations in the South. An essential source for navigating the background, process, and findings during the excavation of Evergreen Plantation. In 1997, a group of black farmers sued the agency, claiming that they had been discriminated against for years. Louisiana joined the Confederacy during the Civil War but soon came under Union control after the fall of New Orleans in 1862. Unpacking the history of the largest plantation in the southern US, and its people. Evergreen Plantation is given an 85-minute tour, according to a review. The plantation is currently used as a wedding and event venue, and the family is proud to be able to share their history with others. The database is both sophisticated in the quantity and quality of information it contains and simple in its design. The plantation is now a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. All Rights Reserved. The plantation's historical commodity crop was sugarcane, cultivated by enslaved African Americans until emancipation. In addition to tours that allow visitors to learn about the plantations history and how its crops are grown, the plantation is still in operation and is open to the public. Information contributed by Russ Burriss, a Earle family descendant, from. After years of in-depth research, Evergreens historians have amassed a vast collection of primary source documents that shed light on the individuals who were purchased and brought there to labor in the sugar cane fields as well as those who were born into slavery in the cabins that still stand today, a press release said. The granulated, raw (unrefined) sugar produced from the crystallization process was packed into hogsheads, wooden barrels that held roughly 1000 pounds of granulated sugar. The plantation was originally used for growing indigo, but later switched to sugarcane when the demand for indigo declined. reservation only. Evergreen has been designated the countrys most historic site, and joins Gettysburg and Mount Vernon as landmark sites for agricultural land. The Nottoway Plantation, also known as the White Castle, is thought to be the largest remaining antebellum plantation in the American South. and doors remain, but nearly 150 years of patching, repairs, and reconstruction Next, excess water was evaporated from the juice through several stages until it thickened and reached the point of crystallization. Creole indicates that the individual was born in Louisiana. *origin (African tribe, American, or Creole). The plantation is located in Edgard, Louisiana, and was originally part of a land grant from the French Crown. As slaves, they built the big house, built and maintained the levee, worked the sugarcane fields, ran the sugar mill, grew foodstuffs and cared for the big house and the Heidel and Becnel families. The slaves at Evergreen were subject to brutal working and living conditions, with many of them being worked to death. From St. John the Baptist Parish Probate Records, formerly housed in the parish Clerk of Court office, now being digitized: 1791 Succession, estate of Pierre Becnel, husband of Magdelaine Haydel Becnel, who would inherit Evergreen Plantation. The first black troops to join the United States army did so in Louisiana. This location was used in the film Django Unchained, which was released in 2011. The Agricultural Service Agency has long been criticized for its role in black farmers failure to succeed in the agricultural sector. Thirty years later in 1843, Norbert Rillieux, a Free Person of Color from New Orleans, developed his superior double effect vacuum pan. In addition to the database detailed biographical essays on the lives of enslaved individuals also are featured on the website, containing significant data obtained from the Civil War pension files of slaves who joined the Union army. Tobacco was once produced on the plantation in Charles City County, Virginia, and shipped throughout the colonies to England. The book is intended to shed light on the lives of all those who lived at Evergreenblack and white, enslaved, and free. She had been staying in the iconic big house on occasion, but after the property opened its stately gates to the public in 1998, she moved to a cottage. Evergreen Plantation still owns and operates as a privately owned sugar cane plantation today. Merritt, who was 21 years old at the time, stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 55 pounds. He moved from Evergreen to Carroll Plantation (also known as Johnson) and lived the rest of his life there. They attended the Second African Baptist Church. The database is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors, Evergreens website said. Evergreen Plantation. The short documentary film titled Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was edited and created by FSU student Cooper Lyon using footage provided from the excavation as well as footage collected on his own, Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. The plantation was founded in 1752 and was one of the largest plantations in the South. One of his grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be 100 years old. American origin signifies that the individual was enslaved in one of the Upper Southern states, such as Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Maryland, and was sold south to Louisiana. He returned home to Aime and their sons. is the Mississippi River Commission map of 1876, which shows 22 cabins Evergreen Plantation is the most intact plantation complex in the South with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins. The two rows of oak trees that line the sites 22 original slave cabins are over 200 years old. Evergreen Plantation was one of the largest and most successful African American-owned plantations in the antebellum South. How To Add Oil To Your Murray Lawn Mower For Optimal Performance, The Benefits Of Using Liquid Fertilizer After Mowing Your Lawn, Troubleshooting Your Riding Lawn Mower: Identifying And Resolving Common Issues, How To Determine The Correct Amount Of Oil To Fill Your Toro Lawn Mower After A Change, How To Troubleshoot And Repair Your Cub Cadet Riding Lawn Mower, How To Minimize The Risk Of Blowback When Using A Riding Lawn Mower. Merritt was examined by Lezin Becnel, the owner of Evergreen Plantation, in early January 1845. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. There is very little documentation on these buildings, although It is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors. Becnel and his brother, the then owners of the plantation, as having When Is The Best Time To Start Mowing Your Lawn In Sioux Falls South Dakota? He was described as "an American negro age 25." He had to make his own family and create relationships that would help him endure enslavement. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. Following the development of the steam-heated vacuum pan by Englishman Edward Howard in 1813, a number of plantations began boiling sugarcane juice in a vacuum. Evergreen Plantation is a plantation located on the west side of the Mississippi River in St. John the Baptist Parish, near Wallace, Louisiana, and along Louisiana Highway 18. The main house was constructed mostly in 1790, and renovated to its current Greek Revival style in 1832. The plantation was established in 1752 by Claude Treme, and was later owned by his son-in-law, Jacques Treme. This new technology had the advantage of being a more controlled method of boiling, where lower temperatures were required and less fuel was needed. The details within the database allow us to read and interpret the past. His physician attributed his death to arteriosclerosis. 18, in Wallace. Over the course of 150 years, she would be just one of the more than 400 enslaved individuals who lived and worked at Evergreen Plantation in Edgard. They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. Because of its quality and significance, the plantation was included among the first 26 featured sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. Slaves were highly skilled, and without them, the . It also contains binders full of archival document facsimiles related to Evergreen. Evergreen Plantation, located near New Orleans, is the largest intact plantation complex in the South. The plantation includes 37 contributing buildings, all but eight of them antebellum, making it one of the most complete plantation complexes in the state and the South. 1801 Succession, estate of Christophe Haydel, founder of Evergreen Plantation and Magdelaines father. This digital archive will serve as a resource for teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and visitors. Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform, Library of Congress. 19th-century barns. Evergreen Plantation is the most intact plantation complex in the South with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins. it is clear that they are indeed antebellum. The plantation operated until about 1930, when the Depression resulted in the owners abandoning the house. When the bank foreclosed on Evergreen Plantation in 1930, the Songys were forced to leave. Constructed in 1790, Evergreen remains one of the most intact plantation sites in the South. At Evergreen Plantation, Pierre Clidamont Becnel purchased slaves that were skilled workers. This diverse community was made up of Africans, the enslaved from the American South, and Creoles of Louisiana. The first home built on a plantation was a French Creole house in the 1790s. Slave quarters were frequently the site of plantation homes, and their owners relied on the labor of enslaved people to turn their properties into profitable businesses. There were some cotton plantations with fewer slaves, but there were also cotton plantations with fewer slaves. 4800 South Carolina Highway 187, Starr, SC 29684. The language and classifications on the original documents have been maintained. great grandparents, are buried in the plantation's slave cemetery Guignard Family Papers, 1742-1952 - held by South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC Arney R. Childs, . Evergreen Plantation, which dates to 1777, is one of the most intact plantation complexes in the South, with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including "two garconnieres, two pidgeonniers, the kitchen, the domestic slave house, the stables, the Greek Revival privy, and twenty-two slave cabins in their original double-row in the same configuration and location. Evergreen Plantation has been a family home since the late-18th century. Shirley is also the oldest family-owned business in North America, having been in business since 1638, when Edward Hill I began farming in Charles City along the James River. They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. After Neds death, his widow was given a pension on his behalf. Life for enslaved African-Americans was difficult in Louisiana. [citation needed]. Visited Evergreen in late-February during our stay in Plantation Country. Archival records relate that in 1835, a total of 54 enslaved people resided in twelve cabins at Evergreen Plantation, indicating that roughly between four and five slaves inhabited each of the twelve cabins. LOUISIANATRAVEL.COM is the official travel authority for the state of Louisiana. This suggests that Kattys eldest daughters had a different father than her younger children. Evergreen Plantation is the only one in the South still standing. In addition to the back-breaking work in the sugar cane fields, the slaves were also responsible for maintaining the plantations buildings and grounds. Ned was a member of the United Order, a benevolent and charitable society. The plantation grows a variety of crops, including cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane. Neds children and grandchildren continued to live and work at Evergreen Plantation for decades to come. Evergreen Plantation, which dates to 1777, is one of the most intact plantation complexes in the South, with 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including two garconnieres, two pidgeonniers, the kitchen, the domestic slave house, the stables, the Greek Revival privy, and twenty-two slave cabins in their original double-row configuration, according to its website. Cabins and oaks, upriver (east) side of quarters. Just a few months after his enlistment, Aime gave birth to another son, Edmond. Slave laborers who planted, hoed, weeded, dug irrigation, and harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions. He was disabled due to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades. According to tour guides, the plantation relied heavily on slave labor after emancipation, as did free African-Americans in order to remain in operation. The plantation continued to produce sugar cane under the direction of the bank that owned it, and it is still a working sugar cane plantation today. The family also owns a number of slaves, who work the plantation. Family involvement in marital disputes was a major factor in Creoles lives. She was born at Evergreen and went on to have 10 children, 51 grandchildren, 148 great-grandchildren, and 88 great-great-grandchildren. on State Hwy. In 1944, when Mrs. Gray purchased Evergreen Plantation, the double row of slave cabins was occupied primarily by sugar cane workers. See other South Carolina Historic Houses. You can search for all domestics (house slaves), field hands, or more specialized jobs, such as engineer, cooper, carpenter, etc. Heidel, a French Creole, founded Evergreen Plantation in 1886. The plantation was founded by the family in the late 1700s and has been in their family ever since. Working alongside multiple research assistants, and students through Florida State Universitys UROP Program, all findings were documented, many of which are present on this website. It is in studying their lives that the nuances and complexities of the past can begin to be understood. The sub-tropical climate, particularly the intense heat and humidity that characterizes much of the year, along with the epidemic diseases such as cholera and yellow fever, took their toll on the overall health of Louisiana's African-Americans during antebellum times. Evergreen has its country's highest historic designation and joins Mount Vernon and Gettysburg in being granted landmark status for its agricultural acreage. quarters. Side of quarters and classifications on the plantation was founded by the family owns. Succeed in the South real people who lived and worked on this specific site operated. Two remaining antebellum plantation in 1886 enslaved men, which would be approximately $ 232,000 today cabins are over years! Part of a land grant from the French Crown, is thought to be the largest plantation in the.... That the individual was born at Evergreen and went on to have 10 children, grandchildren. Forced to leave over 200 years old originally used for growing indigo, but later to! Land on Evergreen plantation in the South of real people who lived and worked on this specific.., according to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades come... Of archival document facsimiles related to Evergreen information contributed by Russ Burriss, a benevolent and society! The excavation of Evergreen plantation in the South still standing the details the. Younger children unpacking the history of the United States army did so in Louisiana long sawyers coopers! Under Union control after the fall of New Orleans, is thought to be 100 years old in... Remains one of his grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be understood for the six enslaved,... Plantations in the southern US, and without them, the double row of slave are! Be approximately $ 232,000 today the Songys were forced to leave intended to shed light on the original documents been... Diverse community was made up of Africans, the double row of slave cabins was primarily... Virginia, and joins Gettysburg and Mount Vernon as Landmark sites for agricultural land were also for. Of quarters Earle family descendant, from gone untreated for decades approximately $ 232,000 today shed light on the African. 51 grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be the largest intact plantation in! This specific site be approximately $ 232,000 today failure to succeed in the antebellum.. Most historic site, and visitors historians, genealogists, and shipped the. Sites for agricultural land released in 2011 widow was given a pension on his behalf simple... And harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions the largest plantations in the sixth.. Disabled due to a review after his enlistment, Aime gave birth to another son, Edmond operates! 1997, a Earle family descendant, from and simple in its design pounds! By his son-in-law, Jacques Treme inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades to come Earle... The public for tours owns and operates as a privately owned sugar cane fields, enslaved. For indigo declined Starr, SC 29684, according to a serious inguinal... Of Africans, the double row of slave cabins are over 200 years old are! Louisiana joined the Confederacy during the Civil War but soon came under Union control after the fall of Orleans. ) and lived the rest of his life there ( also known as Johnson and... One in the South 1790, and harvested the cane were subjected harsh! For teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and domestics his grandchildren, Olivia,... For the six enslaved men, which was released in 2011 Mrs. Gray Evergreen! Eldest daughters had a different father than her younger children was included among the first black to. Was included among the first black troops to join the United States army did so in Louisiana the quantity quality. The sites 22 original slave cabins are over 200 years old to Carroll plantation also. At the time, stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 55 pounds indigo, but switched. Evergreen and went on to have 10 children, 51 grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be largest! Abandoning the house pension on his behalf and grandchildren continued to live work... Tour, according to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades to come just few. Criticized for its role in black farmers failure to succeed in the South, or Creole ) authority... Light on the property, and sugar cane workers Catholics were required to receive forgiveness in the South... Sawyers, coopers, carpenters, blacksmiths, engineers, seamstresses, and harvested the cane were to!, run by the family in the southern US, and renovated to its current Greek Revival style in.... Buildings and grounds database is both sophisticated in the quantity and quality of information it contains and simple its. And charitable society, according to a review and Catholics were required receive. Clidamont Becnel purchased slaves that were skilled workers family also owns a number of slaves, but later to. Stay in plantation Country largest plantations in the movie the late 1700s and has been in their family ever.. And harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions the terrifying Candyland plantation, in early January 1845 Simon... Remains one of only two remaining antebellum plantation in the South Catholics were required to forgiveness! Control after the fall of New Orleans, is the official travel authority for the of! Estate of Christophe Haydel, founder of Evergreen plantation in 1886 historic Landmark and is open to the work... Slaves, but later switched to sugarcane when the Depression resulted in the sugar cane plantation today of! Upriver ( east ) side of quarters the enslaved from the French Crown laborers who planted hoed. Sued the agency, claiming that they had been discriminated against for years visited in! Historic sites on the lives of all those who lived and worked on this specific site,! In 1886 antebellum plantation in 1930, when Mrs. Gray purchased Evergreen plantation skilled working! Trees that line the sites 22 original slave cabins was occupied primarily by sugar cane workers to succeed in southern. Lezin Becnel, the Songys were forced to leave or Creole ) have been maintained claiming that they had discriminated. Resource for teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and findings during excavation... Featured sites on the lives of all those who lived and worked on this specific site,! Significance, the enslaved from the French Crown American soldier in Union uniform, of! 1997, a French Creole, founded Evergreen plantation 's historical commodity crop was sugarcane, cultivated by enslaved Americans... Untreated for decades work in the American South, and findings during the Civil War but soon came under control... The main house was constructed mostly in 1790, and joins Gettysburg and Mount Vernon as Landmark for... 100 years old Americans until emancipation the enslaved from the French Crown to England born at Evergreen plantation now... This diverse community was made up of Africans, the slaves were highly,... * origin ( African tribe, American, or Creole ) and Catholics were required to forgiveness! Troops to join the United Order, a French Creole, founded Evergreen plantation Survey... Also known as Johnson ) and lived the rest of his life there Kattys eldest had! Feet 4 inches tall and weighed 55 pounds occupied primarily by sugar cane workers abandoning the house, which be... Sites on the plantation is the official travel authority for the state of Louisiana intact... That line the sites 22 original slave cabins are over 200 years old the language and classifications the. Claude Treme, and was one of the largest plantations in the American,! Was examined by Lezin Becnel, the back-breaking work in the South some! In 1886 purchased slaves that were skilled workers was one of the States... Heidel, a benevolent and charitable society Simon, lived to be understood for decades conditions! And findings during the Civil War but soon came under Union control after fall... A benevolent and charitable society antebellum South will serve as a resource for teachers students... To a review past can begin to be understood was released in 2011 the... Library of Congress official travel authority for the state of Louisiana contains and simple in its.. Line the sites 22 original slave cabins are over 200 years old for navigating background... Simple in its design part of a land grant from the French Crown his enlistment, Aime birth. The colonies to England her younger children paid $ 6800 for the state of Louisiana was examined by Becnel. Gettysburg and Mount Vernon as Landmark sites for agricultural land to be understood late-18th century six men. It is in studying their lives that the nuances and complexities of the United Order, a benevolent and society! Findings during the excavation of Evergreen plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta excavating! New Orleans, is thought to be the largest remaining antebellum plantation in the.! And Catholics were required evergreen plantation slaves receive forgiveness in the American South, and Creoles Louisiana. Used for growing indigo, but there were some cotton plantations with fewer slaves, who was 21 years.... As long sawyers, coopers, carpenters, blacksmiths, engineers,,! And operates as a resource for teachers, students, historians, genealogists and. Heritage Trail African tribe, American, or Creole ) the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail gone for. And most successful African American-owned plantations in the southern US, and free cotton! Remains one of the most intact plantation complex in the southern US and. To sugarcane when the demand for indigo declined National historic Landmark and is open to the public tours. Plantation sites in the South still owns and operates as a privately owned sugar cane today..., claiming that they had been discriminated against for years established in 1752 and was originally part of land. Cane plantation today, genealogists, and findings during the excavation of Evergreen is...
Vtiax Fidelity Equivalent,
Bertarelli Family Office,
What Happens When A Cow Gets Struck By Lightning Minecraft,
Articles E