The plantation was originally used for growing indigo, but later switched to sugarcane when the demand for indigo declined. 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. The plantation was established in 1752 by Claude Treme, and was later owned by his son-in-law, Jacques Treme. Even if the plantation owner did not grow any crops, he or she relied on the labor of enslaved people to turn it into a profitable business. The loads of cut cane stalks were crushed between rotating steel rollers to extract the cane juice. There were some cotton plantations with fewer slaves, but there were also cotton plantations with fewer slaves. Replication not permitted without express consent. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. The only known historic map of the plantation 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. As a slave, he did not have a surname, so he probably gave his fathers name as his last name. The Evergreen Plantation in Alabama is one of only two remaining antebellum sugar plantations in the South. The family also owns a number of slaves, who work the plantation. The couples first child, Marcel, was born in 1858. 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. Aime died in 1882 when she just a little over forty years old. Evergreen Plantation is owned by a family who has resided in the area for generations. 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. The house is open to the public by reservation only. Evergreen Plantation has been a family home since the late-18th century. There is very little documentation on these buildings, although 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. Merritt, who was 21 years old at the time, stood 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 55 pounds. This suggests that Kattys eldest daughters had a different father than her younger children. The main house was constructed mostly in 1790, and renovated to its current Greek Revival style in 1832. The 400 acres of Evergreens sugarcane fields are still productive. 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. Although our doors are not open for tours, we do provide educational and research opportunities. It is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors. He was headed south to New Orleans along with 120 other enslaved individuals on board. 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. 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 plantation was built in the early 1700s and was the home of several generations of planters. at all. Today, many plantation homes are portrayed as elegant gardens with beautiful interiors, ignoring the darker side of their history. The Evergreen Plantation in Louisiana had over 350 slaves in the early 1800s. Your email address will not be published. reservation only. You can choose which field you want to search. Ned was one of them. Evergreen has been designated the countrys most historic site, and joins Gettysburg and Mount Vernon as landmark sites for agricultural land. 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. In its prime, Evergreen had more than 350 slaves, making it one of the largest plantations in the South. Evergreen Plantation (Wallace, Louisiana), U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Louisiana African American Heritage Trail, National Register of Historic Places listings in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, List of National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana, Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, "Matilda Geddings Gray and Evergreen Plantation", "Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained' begins filming at the Evergreen Plantation in Louisiana on Monday On Location Vacations", Louisiana's African American Heritage Trail, Louisiana Digital Library Evergreen Plantation, History of the National Register of Historic Places, List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state, List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places, University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evergreen_Plantation_(Wallace,_Louisiana)&oldid=1084343937, Museums in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Houses in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, National Register of Historic Places in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Slave cabins and quarters in the United States, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 23 April 2022, at 23:15. 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. Many of the slave laborers on plantations in the South worked in the fields as plow hands, carters, ditchers, or woodcutters, among others. Evergreen Plantation is a former sugar cane plantation in Wallace, Louisiana, that was slave labor-dependent for its operation. Address: 4800 South Carolina Highway 187, Starr, SC 29684 GPS Coordinates: 34.396680,-82.792005 What else should I see? [2][4] The house is open for tours every day except Sundays; tour times are at 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:45 pm. [citation needed]. Ned remarried on February 12, 1887. 18, in Wallace. This new technology had the advantage of being a more controlled method of boiling, where lower temperatures were required and less fuel was needed. African Americans served as Evergreen Plantations workforce and lived in quarters there for more than 200 years. Artists representation of slave cabin, circa 1800. It is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. 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. 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 Negro/Negresse = of full African ancestry, Mulatto/Mulatresse = European ancestry, African ancestry, Quadroon = European ancestry, African ancestry, Griffe = early usage indicates Native American and African. Merritt was examined by Lezin Becnel, the owner of Evergreen Plantation, in early January 1845. Evergreen Plantation is a former sugar cane plantation in Wallace, Louisiana, that was slave labor-dependent for its operation. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. 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. The plantation was established in 1752 by Claude Treme, and was later owned by his son-in-law, Jacques Treme. Evergreen Plantation. _uacct = "UA-1070054-1"; 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. He was disabled due to a serious oblique inguinal hernia that had gone untreated for decades. Evergreen Plantation, a National Historic Landmark, is located on State Hwy. The Rural Development Initiative for African American Farmers is one of several programs the agency has developed to assist African American farmers. According to tour guides, the plantation relied heavily on slave labor after emancipation, as did free African-Americans in order to remain in operation. Unidentified African American soldier in Union uniform, Library of Congress. This story appeared in the April issueof the PRCsPreservation in Print magazine. 1829 - The plantation's name was changed from Hopewell to Evergreen .? See other South Carolina Historic Houses. 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 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 plantation was passed down through the family, and they have worked to keep it in good condition. The plantation is located in Edgard, Louisiana, and was originally part of a land grant from the French Crown. Some noteworthy original features, such as chimneys, shutters, 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 plantation was founded in 1752 and was one of the largest plantations in the South. His name was listed as Edward Edmond on the sale document and his age as 19. African Americans were the majority owners and operators of the plantation during its earliest days in the 1790s. Evergreen has its country's highest historic designation and joins Mount Vernon and Gettysburg in being granted landmark status for its agricultural acreage. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. By the 1940s, the plantation was reacquired and fully restored. Evergreen Plantation, a former plantation located in 1857, has been preserved in the following photograph. Search the Preservation in Print archives. Despite this, the agency has made progress in improving its relationship with black farmers since 1997. The couple went on to have more children and continued to work in the cane fields on Evergreen Plantation. A seemingly endless cycle of planting, hoeing, weeding, harvesting, and grinding comprised the work routine on Louisiana's sugarcane plantations during the 19th century. Over the years the plantation's property was subdivided and sold (1). urchinTracker(); South-Carolina-Plantations.com Evergreen Plantation, Anderson County, SC, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 3, Historical and Architectural Survey of Anderson County, South Carolina, The Harrisons of Greenville County, South Carolina, John Baylis Earle Family Cemetery Document, Current status Privately-owned event site, 1848 Samuel Girard Earle passed away and willed the plantation to his oldest living son, Elias John Earle. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The extracted juice was clarified and bits of pith and other debris were removed. The gates will remain open for tours until 1:45 p.m. on weekdays, and until 10:30 a.m. on weekends. They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. Become a member of the PRCfor a subscription! The first home built on a plantation was a French Creole house in the 1790s. complex has been the extensive fabric replacement evident in the slave He now has hundreds of descendants, many still living in Wallace and Edgard. Evergreen has its country's highest historic designation and joins Mount Vernon and Gettysburg in being granted landmark status for its agricultural acreage. They worked on the plantation in a variety of capacities, raising cotton and rice, among other crops. The details within the database allow us to read and interpret the past. His physician attributed his death to arteriosclerosis. On some plantations, slaves worked in eight-hour shifts, called watches, and adult slaves worked two such shifts each day during grinding season. Should I Form A Corporation For My Lawn Mowing Company? . According to Joseph McGill, this is the largest collection of slave dwellings in the world. Evergreen Plantation is located in Wallace, Louisiana, just north of New Orleans. 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. There were no COVID-19 cases reported in the New Orleans area until the beginning of the year. He was toiling in the sugar cane fields in the fields of a sugar cane plantation. One of his grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be 100 years old. The simple family was the dominant household type between both slave and free African-American populations in the United States during the nineteenth century. Evergreen Plantation, a historic plantation in Louisiana, has a new interpretive center dedicated to its history. their original appearance and double row configuration, have survived 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 plantation was saved from ruin by oil heiress Matilda Geddings Gray, from Lake Charles, La., in 1944, with Richard Koch as architect. 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. The language and classifications on the original documents have been maintained. Mowing The Lawn While Pregnant: Is It Safe And What Precautions Should You Take? The carts traveled to the cane mill for processing. They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. 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. The Evergreen Plantation Archaeological Survey was led by Dr. Jayur Mehta, excavating a large portion of land on Evergreen plantation. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. 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. Plantations were commonly located on fertile creeks and rivers in the south, and they frequently had extensive land holdings. He also built a brick home located near a spring. Because of its quality and significance, the plantation was included among the first 26 featured sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. The enslaved lived in the cabins as free people until the end of the Civil War; they were slaves for many years. Ned first appeared on an Evergreen Plantation inventory in 1858. The terrifying Candyland plantation, run by the brutal Candie, is also featured in the movie. The grounds include 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including 22. The research remains ongoing, and the database will be updated as new discoveries are made. Renting out its river bed to shipping and maritime businesses has allowed it to generate more revenue. The Preservation Alliance of New Orleans, Inc., d.b.a. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1992 for its rich architectural legacy. Thirty years later in 1843, Norbert Rillieux, a Free Person of Color from New Orleans, developed his superior double effect vacuum pan. Evergreen Plantation, located in Edgard, Louisiana, is one of the most intact slaveholding sites in the South, dating back to 1790. After years of in-depth research, we have amassed a vast collection of primary source documents that shed light on the individuals who were purchased and brought here to labor in the sugar cane fields as well as those who were born into slavery in the cabins that still stand today. 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. Slave laborers who planted, hoed, weeded, dug irrigation, and harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions. Susan Langenhennigis PRCs Director of Communications and the editor of Preservation in Print. His wife is from the Caribbean, and he brought many of her cultures influences with him from home. Privately owned, it remains a working sugar cane plantation. People live here and work here, the website said. Information contributed by Russ Burriss, a Earle family descendant, from. At Evergreen Plantation, Pierre Clidamont Becnel purchased slaves that were skilled workers. She was born at Evergreen and went on to have 10 children, 51 grandchildren, 148 great-grandchildren, and 88 great-great-grandchildren. Family involvement in marital disputes was a major factor in Creoles lives. It also contains binders full of archival document facsimiles related to Evergreen. Constructed in 1790, Evergreen remains one of the most intact plantation sites in the South. This diverse community was made up of Africans, the enslaved from the American South, and Creoles of Louisiana. He also built a brick home located near a spring. 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. There are 37 structures still listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Establishing a new plantation required workers with certain capabilities and expertise, and it is likely that each of these slaves was chosen specifically by Becnel to perform the types of work for which they were described. The Agricultural Service Agency has long been criticized for its role in black farmers failure to succeed in the agricultural sector. 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