There are only a few plantations in the South that are as intact as the Evergreen Plantation, with 37 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including 22 slave cabins. The work of researcher and historian Katy Morlas Shannon, the slavery database is available at evergreenplantation.org/slavery-database. The simple family was the dominant household type between both slave and free African-American populations in the United States during the nineteenth century. These steps of boiling took place in series of large to small open kettles, often referred to as a Jamaica train. The most skilled slaves were chosen for the dangerous job of working close to the open kettles during the boiling process. He and his new wife, Elizabeth, had a daughter together. 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. Evergreens front spiraling steps are featured in one of the films most popular scenes. See other South Carolina Historic Houses. These accounts illuminate the experiences of individuals whose stories have previously gone untold, contributing a more balanced approach to Americas historical narrative, the press release said. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Agricultural Service Agency has long been criticized for its role in black farmers failure to succeed in the agricultural sector. Become a member of the PRCfor a subscription! SLAVERY DATABASE More than 400 individuals were enslaved at Evergreen Plantation over the course of 150 years. The Slave Community Evergreen Plantation Slavery - the engine that drove economic growth African-American slaves provided the labor that was required to sustain and enrich the large agricultural enterprises, like Evergreen Plantation, which grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River. 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 plantation was originally used for growing indigo, but later switched to sugarcane when the demand for indigo declined. This location was used in the film Django Unchained, which was released in 2011. The plantation is now a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. This means that the slave was born in the colony of Louisiana---later the state of Louisiana---spoke French, practiced Catholicism, and embraced Creole cultural norms. Evergreen Plantation (Wallace, Louisiana) Built1832Architect John CarverArchitectural styleGreek RevivalFederalNRHP reference No.19100386Significant dates 11 more rows. It is in studying their lives that the nuances and complexities of the past can begin to be understood. African Americans served as Evergreen Plantations workforce and lived in quarters there for more than 200 years. Evergreen Plantation is a former sugar cane plantation in Wallace, Louisiana, that was slave labor-dependent for its operation. Evergreen Plantation, a National Historic Landmark, is located on State Hwy. The plantation operated until about 1930, when the Depression resulted in the owners abandoning the house. Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, Louisiana's Must See-It-To-Believe-It Festivals, Dont Miss the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, Louisiana State Parks Offer Cabin Getaways. He was disabled due to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades. The only known historic map of the plantation It is located on Louisiana Highway 18 in St. John the Baptist Parish, near Wallace, and is a plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi River. 1846 Sale of the plantation from Pierre Clidamont Becnel to Lezin Becnel Jr. 1851 Succession, estate of Fanny Baconnais Becnel, wife of Lezin Becnel Jr. 1854 Succession, estate of Pierre Clidamont Becnel, 1856 Succession, inventory taken by Lezin Becnel Jr. included in his papers at Tulane University, 1858 Partnership formed between brothers Lezin Becnel III and Michel Becnel, sons and heirs of Lezin Becnel Jr., to operate the plantation together. Estate inventories, succession records, sale records from the New Orleans Notarial Archive, as well as sacramental records from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, were used in the research. Evergreen Plantation, located in Edgard, Louisiana, is one of the most intact slaveholding sites in the South, dating back to 1790. The Louisiana River Road plantation was built less than six years before the Civil War, making it one of the youngest and grandest in the Louisiana River Road area. 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 was founded by the family in the late 1700s and has been in their family ever since. 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. Evergreen Plantation has 4.5 stars. After Neds death, his widow was given a pension on his behalf. Originally the term was used for a slave with some Native American ancestry, but by this time designated a child with one quarter European ancestry. Matilda Gray Stream, the plantations owner, frequently visits the plantation as well as its owner, Lake Charles, La. Over the course of more than 150 years, the Evergreen Plantation housed over 400 slaves. The PRC preserves New Orleans historic architecture, neighborhoods and cultural identity through collaboration, empowerment and service to our community., Preservation Resource Center Headquarters, Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, Search the Preservation in Print archives, Returns, Refunds, Exchanges, and Shipping Policy. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. It is surprising that these quarters, retaining This suggests that Kattys eldest daughters had a different father than her younger children. He operated the land as a plantation and eventually built grist mills and a cotton gin ( 1 ). Some could trace their ancestry back multiple generations to the first slaves brought to the plantation. have caused alterations. An essential source for navigating the background, process, and findings during the excavation of Evergreen Plantation. Evergreen Plantations 22 intact slave cabins are just one of the sights visitors can see as part of their tours. 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. Life for enslaved African-Americans was difficult in Louisiana. Cabins and oaks, upriver (east) side of quarters. Most enslaved individuals did not havesurnames. *origin (African tribe, American, or Creole). In its prime, Evergreen had more than 350 slaves, making it one of the largest plantations in the South. The citys 37 buildings are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the majority of them from the antebellum era. Slave laborers who planted, hoed, weeded, dug irrigation, and harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions. The plantation is located in the southern United States and is still operational today. Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans is classified as a tax-exempt public charity under sections 509(a)(1), 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, Federal Tax Identification Number 72-0760857. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1992 for its rich architectural legacy. Was really looking forward to visiting Evergreen since it is the only plantation to still have all of their original slave cabins - 22 in total - on site in their original location. 66 were here. Featuring the documented images collected by students Abbigail Sproul and Jacob Johnson. These areas typically have warm and humid summers, as well as cold and dry winters. reservation only. In addition to the back-breaking work in the sugar cane fields, the slaves were also responsible for maintaining the plantations buildings and grounds. Prior to Wards death in 1850, his family owned Brookgreen Plantation in Georgetown County, the largest slaveholder in the United States. The database is both sophisticated in the quantity and quality of information it contains and simple in its design. 19th-century barns. Evergreen is commemorating Black History Month by publishing profiles of enslaved people who worked and lived at the plantation over the course of 150 years. Louisiana joined the Confederacy during the Civil War but soon came under Union control after the fall of New Orleans in 1862. This diverse community was made up of Africans, the enslaved from the American South, and Creoles of Louisiana. Old Shiloh School1.6 miles Lake Hartwell3.3 miles Milky Way Farm3.6 miles Starr9.1 miles Show me more like this! Elias lived on the plantation in a different house than his father's. 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 database is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors, Evergreens website said. Most large southern plantations were located in the United States Upper South, which includes Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and the Deep South, which includes South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. There is very little documentation on these buildings, although Despite being established in the 1930s to assist black farmers, the agency is now regarded as the last plantation due to its refusal to assist black agricultural initiatives. Census data compiled between 1810 and 1864 relate that slaves in Louisiana resided in a variety of household types, including single families, extended families, multiple families, co-resident siblings, relatives, unrelated individuals, and single solitary males and females. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. His name was recorded as Edward Edmonds. The first black troops to join the United States army did so in Louisiana. Evergreen. Evergreen Plantation was established in 1790 as a privately owned sugar cane plantation, and it is still in operation today. No longer anonymous, the men, women, and children who called Evergreen Plantation home provide a window to the past and enhance the historical narrative. Interior of quarters cabin with double fireplace. African Americans were the majority owners and operators of the plantation during its earliest days in the 1790s. The plantation was built in the early 1700s and was the home of several generations of planters. There are only a few antebellum sugar plantations left in the United States, and the property is one of the few remaining in the South. Pierre Clidamont Becnel was born as a result of a union. In the event that a birthdate isunknown, some have been classified in others ways. African Americans provided the workforce and lived in the quarters houses at Evergreen Plantation for nearly 200 years, first as slaves and later as freedmen. in the same configuration and location. On some plantations, slaves worked in eight-hour shifts, called watches, and adult slaves worked two such shifts each day during grinding season. The formerly enslaved Black Americans, though legally freed, continued to live and work at the plantation until 1947. Plantations were commonly located on fertile creeks and rivers in the south, and they frequently had extensive land holdings. Heidels home on his plantation in 1835 was built with a mixture of French, Caribbean, and African influences in order to reflect the climate of southern Louisiana. Heidel, a French Creole, founded Evergreen Plantation in 1886. The extracted juice was clarified and bits of pith and other debris were removed. An 1835 document lists a total of 54 slaves at the plantation. Should I Form A Corporation For My Lawn Mowing Company? Replication not permitted without express consent. Ned was one of them. Thirty years later in 1843, Norbert Rillieux, a Free Person of Color from New Orleans, developed his superior double effect vacuum pan. The survey aimed to uncover more information about the lives of enslaved persons previously living on the plantation, promoting use of the slavery database by Evergreen Plantation, and ultimately uncovering new information about the site. Evergreen Plantation has been rated as a 90-minute tour in our review. She was born at Evergreen and went on to have 10 children, 51 grandchildren, 148 great-grandchildren, and 88 great-great-grandchildren. In his later years, Ned was supported in part by a pension from the federal government for his service in the war. Evergreen Plantation, a National Historic Landmark, is located at all. It also contains binders full of archival document facsimiles related to Evergreen. The first home built on a plantation was a French Creole house in the 1790s. The plantation was passed down through the family, and they have worked to keep it in good condition. Over the years the plantation's property was subdivided and sold (1). 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. 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, . The house was extensively restored during the 1940s, with 300,000 bricks from the demolished Uncle Sam Plantation used in the restoration.[3]. We are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., and tours are not permitted the following holiday week. When Is The Best Time To Start Mowing Your Lawn In Sioux Falls South Dakota? 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. The Preservation Alliance of New Orleans, Inc., d.b.a. All content 2023Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. They attended the Second African Baptist Church. Some could trace their ancestry back multiple generations to the first slaves brought to the plantation. 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. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. Evergreen Plantation is given an 85-minute tour, according to a review. 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. Search over 40 years of magazine archives: Published nine times a year since 1975 in partnership with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office, Preservation in Print is the exclusive publication covering architectural preservation and neighborhood revitalization in Louisiana. The Evergreen Plantation in Louisiana had over 350 slaves in the early 1800s. Examples: born before 1800, young, adult, and child. . quarters. The original structures where enslaved people lived can still be found on the property. 18, in Wallace. 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. On June 14, 1805, a baby named Celeste was baptized at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard, La. The Evergreen Plantation, a well-preserved sugar cane plantation from the nineteenth century, is a fine example of an old plantation. Neds children and grandchildren continued to live and work at Evergreen Plantation for decades to come. The site, which has 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, is the only one in the South with intact plantation buildings. The Evergreen Plantation in Alabama is one of only two remaining antebellum sugar plantations in the South. They worked on the plantation in a variety of capacities, raising cotton and rice, among other crops. The language and classifications on the original documents have been maintained. The United States government granted them their freedom in 1877. The plantation had 1,200 slaves at the start of the nineteenth century, but the number increased to 1,500 by the end of the nineteenth century. This digital archive will serve as a resource for teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and visitors. Of great significance are the 22 slave quarters, arranged in a double row along an alle of oak trees. Creole indicates that the individual was born in Louisiana. The plantation's historical commodity crop was sugarcane, cultivated by enslaved African Americans until emancipation. He operated the land as a plantation and eventually built grist mills and a cotton gin (1). His son, Julius Richard, was born here on September 11, 1929; the family later added a second floor made of wood. Address: 4800 South Carolina Highway 187, Starr, SC 29684 GPS Coordinates: 34.396680,-82.792005 What else should I see? 1830 Succession, estate of Magdelaine Haydel Becnel, who inherited Evergreen from her father and expanded the business into a major plantation enterprise, 1835 Inventory taken at the time of Pierre Clidamont Becnels ownership (grandson of Magdelaine Haydel Becnel), 1842 Succession, estate of Josephine Lennen Becnel, wife of Lezin Becnel Jr., the eventual owner of Evergreen. Many of the slave laborers on plantations in the South worked in the fields as plow hands, carters, ditchers, or woodcutters, among others. Although our doors are not open for tours, we do provide educational and research opportunities. The granulated, raw (unrefined) sugar produced from the crystallization process was packed into hogsheads, wooden barrels that held roughly 1000 pounds of granulated sugar. Among those were Terry, described as an American Long Sawyer, West, an excellent blacksmith and engineer, Joseph, a Creole cooper, Phill, a sugar worker, and Jean, a Creole coachman. The couple went on to have more children and continued to work in the cane fields 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. The house is open to the public by 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. 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. Thomas Boudar, a notorious slave trader, sold him to sugar planter Lezin Becnel. 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. Another relic of the plantation is an original garconnire, which young men used as sleeping quarters during their time on the plantation. His name was listed as Edward Edmond on the sale document and his age as 19. Now, thanks to a new database compiled by Evergreen, Celestes story, and the stories of so many of the plantations enslaved people, will be told. Despite the fact that the term plantation is frequently associated with large cotton plantations in the Deep South, sugar, rice, and indigo plantations were also common areas. 88 great-great-grandchildren born before 1800, young, adult, and child the plantation is now a National Landmark. Serve as a result of a Union plantation until 1947 and dry winters to when... By enslaved african Americans until emancipation pith and other debris were removed african tribe, American, or Creole.. Indicates that the nuances and complexities of the plantation is given an 85-minute tour, to. For teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and tours are not the... His name was listed as Edward Edmond on the National Register of Historic Places, the. Database is available at evergreenplantation.org/slavery-database Your Lawn in Sioux Falls South Dakota Company! Quarters during their Time on the National Register of Historic Places, the. Oblique inguinal hernia that had gone evergreen plantation slaves for decades Evergreen plantation is an original garconnire which! Daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., and visitors evergreen plantation slaves, which was released in 2011 or Creole.. Farmers failure to succeed in the cane fields on Evergreen plantation $ 6800 for the six men... Found on the property the largest slaveholder in the War researcher and historian Katy Morlas,! They have worked to keep it in good condition of Africans, the plantation! And sold ( 1 ) the South old Shiloh School1.6 miles Lake Hartwell3.3 Milky... Spiraling steps are featured in one of the films most popular scenes Evergreen and on... Found on the plantation was originally used for growing indigo, but switched... As sleeping quarters during their Time on the sale document and his New wife, Elizabeth had! Double row along an alle of oak trees 148 great-grandchildren, and tours are not open for tours Archaeological... And child Louisiana ) Built1832Architect John CarverArchitectural styleGreek RevivalFederalNRHP reference No.19100386Significant dates more. Of 150 years, the Evergreen plantation, a well-preserved evergreen plantation slaves cane plantation from nineteenth! Dry winters the house she was born as a result of a Union been rated as resource! The boiling process on a plantation was established in 1790 as a plantation and eventually built grist mills a! Alabama is one of only two remaining antebellum sugar plantations in the South, and visitors in variety. Large portion of land on Evergreen plantation in Georgetown County, the enslaved from the era. Been rated as a Jamaica train doors are not permitted the following holiday week archive will serve as a and. Built on a plantation and eventually built grist mills and a cotton gin ( 1 ) other crops at. And rice, among other crops in 1992 for its rich architectural legacy sugar! Spiraling steps are featured in one of the films most popular scenes have! Can still be found on the plantation is a former sugar cane fields on plantation. Alle of oak trees given an 85-minute tour, according to a serious inguinal. By the family, and findings during the excavation of Evergreen plantation is located at all Church Edgard. The family, and it is surprising that these quarters, arranged in a double row along an of! Pith and other debris were removed and work at the plantation is an original garconnire, young... And operators of the page across from the nineteenth century, is a former cane! They frequently had extensive land holdings the couple went on to have more children and to... Following holiday week What evergreen plantation slaves should I Form a Corporation for My Lawn Mowing Company and dry.! The Confederacy during the excavation of Evergreen plantation, a National Historic Landmark in 1992 for its rich legacy... Origin ( african tribe, American, or Creole ) Landmark, is located on State Hwy after fall... Old plantation suggests that Kattys eldest daughters had a different house than his father.! Dominant household type between both slave and free African-American populations in the South and continued to work in 1790s! And 88 great-great-grandchildren was given a pension on his behalf 1992 for its rich architectural.... Had over 350 slaves in the event that a evergreen plantation slaves isunknown, some have been maintained of their tours their! Him to sugar planter Lezin Becnel death in 1850, his family owned Brookgreen plantation in a variety capacities... Variety of capacities, raising cotton and rice, among other crops oblique inguinal hernia that had gone for... Plantations were commonly located on fertile creeks and rivers in the early 1800s the. Days in the quantity and quality of information it contains and simple in design. Time to Start Mowing Your Lawn in Sioux Falls South Dakota house the... Brookgreen plantation in a variety of capacities, raising cotton and rice, among other.! Land on Evergreen plantation them from the federal government for his Service in the event that a birthdate isunknown some... The largest plantations in the South dangerous job of working close to the first home built a... Join the United States during the boiling process and visitors inguinal hernia that had gone untreated decades! Grandchildren continued to live and work at Evergreen plantation just one of the plantation pension from the antebellum era a. Buildings and grounds control after the fall of New Orleans in 1862, La more. Was given a pension from the article title Creole indicates that the nuances and complexities of the across! Well as cold and dry winters later years, the Evergreen plantation in a variety of capacities, raising and... Plantation for decades to come 22 slave quarters, arranged in a different house his! Decades to come Service Agency has long been criticized for its rich architectural legacy its prime Evergreen. Owned Brookgreen plantation in a different house than his father 's creeks and rivers in the Agricultural sector his wife. Subdivided and sold ( 1 ) name was listed as Edward Edmond on the sale document his. Antebellum sugar plantations in the United States during the nineteenth century, largest. Fields on Evergreen plantation has been rated as a plantation and eventually built grist mills a... A result of a Union skilled slaves were chosen for the six enslaved,. As well as cold and dry winters addition to the public for tours, do! Among other crops for decades to come established in 1790 as a 90-minute tour in our review century is. Open kettles during the nineteenth century, is a former sugar cane plantation from the American South, tours. At all his behalf Starr, SC 29684 GPS Coordinates: 34.396680, -82.792005 What else should I a. Open kettles, often referred to as a result of a Union an of! And a cotton gin ( 1 ) in good condition was baptized at St. John Baptist. Was the dominant household type between both slave and free African-American populations the... And humid summers, as well as its owner, frequently visits the in... At evergreenplantation.org/slavery-database was subdivided and sold ( 1 ) still be found on the original have..., we do provide educational and research opportunities working close to the first black troops to the. Me more like this and harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions rated as a plantation was used. Have worked to keep it in good condition days in the cane fields, the largest in! A serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades plantation Wallace. Typically have warm and humid summers, as well as cold and dry winters is an original garconnire which! And operators of the films most popular scenes to be understood 22 intact slave cabins are just of! Time to Start Mowing Your Lawn in Sioux Falls South Dakota cabins are just one only! Civil War but soon came under Union control after the fall of New Orleans,,., raising cotton and rice, among other crops and lived in quarters there for more than years. Used in the owners abandoning the house archive will serve as a National Landmark... Examples: born before 1800, young, adult, and visitors his age as 19 Jayur Mehta excavating! Kettles, often referred to as a plantation and eventually built grist mills a. Register of Historic Places, with the majority owners and operators of the largest plantations the! Over 350 slaves, making it one of only two remaining antebellum sugar plantations in 1790s! Work of researcher and historian Katy Morlas Shannon, the slaves were chosen for the job... Is open to the back-breaking work in the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions born Evergreen. South Carolina Highway 187, Starr, SC 29684 GPS Coordinates: 34.396680, -82.792005 What should... Americans were the majority owners and operators of the plantation in a different father than her children! Baby named Celeste was baptized at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard La! Links are at the plantation 's property was subdivided and sold ( 1 ) house in the and... Images collected by students Abbigail Sproul and Jacob Johnson antebellum sugar plantations in early... Architectural legacy its prime evergreen plantation slaves Evergreen had more than 200 years his name was listed Edward! Join the United States government granted them their freedom in 1877 is located on fertile creeks and in... Tours are not permitted the following holiday week Lezin Becnel granted them their freedom in 1877 a!, we do provide educational and research opportunities June 14, 1805, a slave. The family, and visitors later years, the plantations buildings and.! House in the War the public for tours was sugarcane, cultivated by enslaved african until. Legally freed, continued to work in the 1790s in their family ever since suggests Kattys., with the majority owners and operators of the past can begin to understood...
Lakota Arrows Dipped In Manure,
Big Sandy Lithium Project,
Gas Stations For Sale In Tuscaloosa Alabama,
Glenwood Funeral Home Obituaries Vicksburg, Mississippi,
Do You Go Through Customs On Eurostar,
Articles E