
Where are Alabama’s most popular plantation sites?
Listed below are seven of Alabama’s most popular plantation sites and/or homes that offer tours, each of which is perfect for a day trip. 1. Gaineswood — Demopolis. google/Gary Lazar. Gaineswood, which sits on five acres, was constructed from 1843 to 1861 and is one of Alabama's most recognizable plantation homes.
Are there any plantation homes in Alabama that have survived?
There are several plantation homes in Alabama that have survived for nearly 200 years and I’ve listed 10 of them below. During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date. 1. Belle Mont Mansion
Where is the Faunsdale Plantation in Alabama?
Faunsdale Plantation is a historic plantation near Faunsdale, Alabama, United States.
Where did Alabama's plantation landscape come from?
Rather, it was Anglo-American settlers pushing west from Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia soon after 1800 who introduced the plantation landscape and architecture that would come to dominate Alabama's richest cotton-growing areas prior to the Civil War.

What was the largest plantation?
The plantation house is a Greek Revival- and Italianate-styled mansion built by craftsmen along with slaves for John Hampden Randolph in 1859, and is the largest extant antebellum plantation house in the South with 53,000 square feet (4,900 m2) of floor space....Nottoway Plantation.Nottoway Plantation HouseAdded to NRHPJune 6, 198013 more rows
Are there old plantations in Alabama?
Even though each plantation home is unique, the style is recognizable. There are several plantation homes in Alabama that have survived for nearly 200 years and I've listed 10 of them below. The Belle Mont Mansion, built between the years 1828-1832 for Dr. Alexander W.
Where did most slaves in Alabama come from?
Slavery in the United States was a labor system that depended upon captive Africans who were held by their owners as legal property in a state of permanent bondage. Most enslaved individuals in Alabama were born into enslavement in other states and brought into the area as part of the South's internal slave trade.
What was the largest Southern plantation?
Nottoway PlantationEverything about Nottoway Plantation is big and novel and luxurious. Located at 31025 Highway 1 in White Castle, Louisiana, on the River Road overlooking the Mississippi River, it is the largest extant antebellum plantation house in the South with 53,000 square feet of floor space.
What is the oldest plantation in Alabama?
The Moore-Webb-Holmes Plantation in Folsom, Perry County, is one of the oldest continuous working family farms in Alabama. Originally founded in 1819 by William Moore, the 80-acre property on which the plantation originally stood expanded over the years to eventually encompass as many as 20,000 acres.
Where is the oldest house in Alabama?
Phelps–Jones HouseLocation6112 Pulaski Pike, Huntsville, AlabamaCoordinates34°48′2″N 86°37′10″WArea4.1 acres (1.7 ha)Built1818Significant dates11 more rows
What county in Alabama had the most slaves?
LAWRENCE COUNTY, ALABAMA.LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES.and.SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS.PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held in Lawrence County, Alabama, in 1860, is either non-existent or not readily available.
Who were the first slaves in history?
The first slaves were brought to the Americas in 1619, when 20 men from Africa were brought to Jamestown, VA. Historians are not sure whether this was the true beginning of the legal slave trade in the colonies. Indentured servitude already existed in the region.
Where did most of the slaves from Africa go?
Well over 90 percent of enslaved Africans were imported into the Caribbean and South America. Only about 6 percent of African captives were sent directly to British North America. Yet by 1825, the US population included about one quarter of the people of African descent in the New World.
What is the most famous plantation?
America's most famous plantation - Oak Alley PlantationUnited States.Louisiana (LA)Vacherie.Vacherie - Things to Do.Oak Alley Plantation.
What were the worst plantations in the South?
Belle Grove, also known as Belle Grove Plantation, was a plantation and elaborate Greek Revival and Italianate-style plantation mansion near White Castle in Iberville Parish, Louisiana....Belle Grove Plantation (Iberville Parish, Louisiana)Belle GroveBuilt1852–1857Demolished1952Architectural style(s)Greek Revival and ItalianateGoverning bodyPrivate4 more rows
Who was the richest plantation owner?
He was born and studied medicine in Pennsylvania, but moved to Natchez District, Mississippi Territory in 1808 and became the wealthiest cotton planter and the second-largest slave owner in the United States with over 2,200 slaves....Stephen DuncanEducationDickinson CollegeOccupationPlantation owner, banker7 more rows
Are there still plantations in Georgia?
The Wormsloe Historic Site, also known as the Wormsloe Plantation, is one of the only actual plantations you are able to visit in Savannah. This 882-acre property is home to a rich history that you can spend hours exploring.
What was the big house on a plantation called?
The planter's residence, often called the "Big House" by slaves, was the most prominent building by virtue of its size and position and occasionally was adorned with stylish architectural features. The columned portico, even today, remains the prime icon of plantation identity.
Are there plantations in Mississippi?
The Prospect Hill plantation is without a doubt one of the most historically significant sites in the state.
Why were plantation houses so big?
Plantation House Features Not all Southern plantation homes were grandiose mansions. Some started out as practical farmhouses, while others were built to be decadent from the start. As plantation owners made more money, they often added to their homes to make them larger and more imposing.
What is a Wakefield plantation?
Located in Furman, and built by the Gulley family during the 1840s, the Wakefield Plantation Home is an example of Steamboat Gothic style. This home is nearly 6,000 sqft and includes 12 rooms, 12 fireplaces, and very unique porches on all sides. Wakefield is a private residence and is part of the Furman Historic District.
Where is Gaineswood Plantation located?
Gaineswood is located in Demopolis and is one of the remaining examples of Greek Revival-style architecture in Alabama.
What is the oldest house in Dallas County?
Kenan House. The Kenan House, a Greek Revival-style house that's located in Selma, and was built in 1826, is one of the oldest houses in Dallas County. What makes the Kenan House special is the large charred section on its pine flooring in the parlor.
Where is Gaineswood located?
Gaineswood is located in Demopolis and is one of the remaining examples of Greek Revival-style architecture in Alabama. This plantation home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was declared a National and Historic Landmark in 1973. Gaineswood is currently operated as a historic house museum.
Where is the Youpon plantation in Alabama?
Located near Canton Bend, the Youpon Plantation Home is a Greek Revival-style home that many architectural historians consider to be among the finest antebellum homes in Alabama. Youpon, a private residence, was built between the years 1840-1848 for William T. Mathews - a planter and local builder.
Which state has the most beautiful plantation homes?
Alabama has some of the most beautiful plantation homes in the South and these homes allow us to better understand the lifestyles of the past. Even though each plantation home is unique, the style is recognizable.
Where is the Grey Columns?
Grey Columns. wikimedia commons. Located in Tuskegee, and built in 1857, Grey Columns now serves as the home of the president of Tuskegee University. This plantation home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
What are some examples of plantation houses?
Regarding the stately pillared houses of popular legend, Alabama plantation culture produced some very notable examples, although they were certainly the exception. Belle Mina (1826), Saunders Hall (circa 1830), and the column-encircled Forks of Cypress (1820s), all in the Tennessee Valley, were among the earliest of the stereotypical pillared plantation houses. Later examples include Thornhill and Rosemount in Greene County, both of which are older houses that acquired classical colonnades around 1845-50; Glennville Plantation (1840s) in Russell County; Youpon (circa 1840) in Wilcox County; Belvoir (probably early 1850s) in Dallas County; the Barton Stone plantation house (1852) in Montgomery County; and Mount Ida in Talladega County, where a massive colonnade was grafted on to what had formerly been a modest I-house just before the Civil War.
How many slaves were there at Preuit Oaks?
Yet in 1860, Preuit Oaks was the center of a 2,500-acre plantation with more than 200 enslaved workers, placing the owner among the top 10 percent of all Alabama slaveowners. Yet as a "middle-of-the-road" plantation architecturally, Preuit Oaks reinforces the contention of many historians that planters generally tended to reinvest agricultural ...
What were the interior layouts of plantation houses?
Despite their outward differences, the interior layouts of most plantation houses—whether of one or two stories or of frame or of brick—tended toward a marked similarity. Typically, the plan centered on a broad, high-ceilinged hallway with wide doors at each end, a welcome ventilating device during a sultry Alabama summer. Usually there were no more than one or two rooms to either side. In more formal houses, these were linked by large sliding ("pocket") or folding doors that could be thrown open to create one large entertaining space. Occasionally an elegant stair graced a plantation house, such as the spiral stairways at Glennville, Belle Mina, and Thornhill, or the soaring double stair at Barton Hall. More common, especially after 1850, were ornate plaster cornices and ceiling centerpieces, and favored decorative treatments for wood trim throughout the antebellum period in plantation houses of all descriptions were "grained" or "marbleized" paint finishes applied by traveling artists in patterns that imitated mahogany, marble, and other expensive materials.
What were the nerve centers of the Alabama plantation?
The nerve center of the Alabama plantation was a group of buildings strategically arranged to support the production and processing of cotton and to house those who produced it: the owner, the manager or "overseer" (if the plantation was a large one), and of course the African American slaves whose labor underpinned the plantation economy. No Alabama plantation complex survives intact today. But a few remain complete enough to suggest the ways in which the various buildings related to each other. These include Preuit Oaks and Johnson's Woods, both in Colbert County; Thornhill in Greene County; Spring Hill, also known as the John Fletcher Comer plantation, in Barbour County; Orange Vale in Talladega County; the Lewis Alexander plantation in Macon County, and the Webb plantation (despite the loss of the main residence) in Perry County.
What was the name of the house that slaves lived in?
The Plantation "Big House". To the slaves living on an Alabama plantation, the main residence was simply "the big house"—a term connoting not so much the physical size of the house as the power and authority it represented.
What is the centerpiece of the plantation architecture?
Its legendary centerpiece, the white-columned mansion, suggests oppression to some and a romanticized lost way of life to others.
What county is Belle Mont in?
At the same time, the white neoclassical porticoes and red-brick walls of Belle Mont (Colbert County) and Saunders Hall (Lawrence County) owed much to the distinctive Palladian-derived architecture of Jeffersonian Virginia, from which their owners had come to Alabama. Moss Hill (Seale Plantation House), Wilcox County.
How many children did Joseph Oswalt Thompson have?
He and his wife had eight children. Joseph Oswalt Thompson married Annie Magruder of Tuskegee, Alabama, daughter of William Reardon and Mary Ann (Perry) Magruder, on April 13, 1888; they had eight children. This collection consists of a six-page typewritten letter, dated April 2, 1926, from Joseph O.
Where was Joseph Oswalt Thompson born?
Joseph Oswalt Thompson was born on February 2, 1869, near Tuskegee, in Macon County, Alabama. He was the son of William Phillip and Mary Watson (Jordon) Thompson. Thompson was educated in Park’s High School and the Alabama Military Institute. Thompson, Joseph Oswalt, 1869 Macon -Family gathered on the front porch of the house on ...
What is the name of the first book in the Tapestry of Love?
RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia.
How many miles of wire is there in the Alabama farm?
Two hundred miles of wire encloses the farm. It takes the man who inspects the fence five days to ride around it on horseback. To properly care for the farm 1200 men are employed, who with their families, make a population larger than the average Alabama city. Two hundred and thirty plows are always in use.
How does Thompson conclude the letter?
Thompson concludes the letter by listing his own accomplishments.
How many acres are there in the fertile black belt?
Has Twenty-five Thousand Acres in Fertile Black Belt. Just outside of Birmingham, Alabama there is a farm owned by Joseph O. Thompson, which is said to be the largest in the world. It comprises 25,000 acres in the fertile “black belt.”.
Where was the largest farm in 1913?
The world’s largest farm in 1913 was located in Alabama – Can you guess where? – Alabama Pioneers
What is the name of the plantation in Alabama?
1. Gaineswood — Demopolis. Gaineswood, which sits on five acres, was constructed from 1843 to 1861 and is one of Alabama's most recognizable plantation homes. It's a true example of Greek Revival-style architecture and is currently operated as a museum.
How many acres are there in the Arlington Antebellum?
wikipedia/Jet Lowe. Alabama's Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens sits on six acres. The historic Arlington Home is a former plantation house that was built from 1845 to 1850. It's currently a museum that features a collection of 19th-century furnishings, silver, textiles, and paintings. Tours are available.
Where is Belle Mont Mansion?
It's currently operated as a museum, and tours are available. You can visit the historic Belle Mont Mansion at 1569 Cook Ln., Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674.
When was Magnolia Grove built?
wikipedia/Carol M. Highsmith. Magnolia Grove, which sits on 12 acres, was built circa 1840 and is the true definition of Southern charm. This Greek Revival-style home features original furnishings and family portraits, and regular admission lets you tour it.
When did Moore Webb Holmes plantation burn down?
Most of the buildings — which consist of a blacksmith shop, a smokehouse, and more — are original to the site. Unfortunately, the family home burned down in 1927.
When was Oakleigh built?
Oakleigh, which was built in 1833, is one of Mobile's most popular historic attractions. It's also one of the city's oldest homes. This historic landmark sits on 30 acres and currently operates as a house museum. It features antique furnishings, a variety of artifacts, and one of the South's finest art collections.
Is Alabama a plantation state?
The South is well known for its beautiful plantation homes, especially here in Alabama. While driving through our great state, you’ll likely discover several plantation homes. While some of these historic homes are in disrepair, others have been fully restored and operate as a museum. Some of them are also private residences. Listed below are seven of Alabama’s most popular plantation sites and/or homes that offer tours, each of which is perfect for a day trip.
What city owned the electric light plant?
In 1913, the city of Faunsdale owned its electric light plant, waterworks, and power-house, and schoolhouse. It had a volunteer fire department, 3 miles of wooden sidewalks. its tax rate is one-half a mill, and there is no bonded indebtedness.
Where is Faunsdale Plantation?
Faunsdale Plantation is a historic plantation near Faunsdale, Alabama, United States . The plantation was first established in the 1830s by Messrs. Pearson and Henry Augustine Tayloe, who owned New Hope Plantation and co-owned Walnut Grove, Oakland (or “Woodville” it was then) and Adventure Plantations, in the Canebrake and would later racehorses in Alabama and co-found the Louisiana Jockey Club, now the New Orleans Fairgrounds, with Bernard de Marigny in 1839. Nine Hundred and Sixty acres were then purchased by Dr. Thomas Alexander Harrison from Charles City County, Virginian in1843. He named his plantation after Faunus, the ancient Roman deity of the forest, plains, and fields. Harrison is known to have brought a large number of slaves with him from Virginia, he is listed in the 1850 Federal Census of Marengo County as having $18,300 in property.
What was Harrison's plantation named after?
He named his plantation after Faunus, the ancient Roman deity of the forest, plains, and fields . Harrison is known to have brought a large number of slaves with him from Virginia, he is listed in the 1850 Federal Census of Marengo County as having $18,300 in property. The slave quarters on the property are among the most significant examples ...
How many slaves did the Harrison family hold in 1846?
These records indicate that the Harrison family held roughly 99 slaves in 1846. This number had increased to 161 by 1857.
What is the second book of Faith and Courage?
Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey.
When was Altwood built?
“Altwood was built in 1836 by Richard H. Adams and began as a log dogtrot house. It was then expanded until it came to superficially resemble a Tidewater-type cottage. Brought to the early Alabama frontier by settlers from the Tidewater and Piedmont regions of Virginia, this vernacular house-type is usually a story-and-a-half in height, displays strict symmetry, and is characterized by prominent end chimneys flanking a steeply pitched longitudinal gable roof that is often pierced by dormer windows was moved from a nearby location to the Cedar Crest grounds in 1988.” 1 The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 05, 1993 as a part of the Plantation Houses of the Alabama Canebrake and Their Associated Outbuildings multiple property submission.
When was the Marengo County slave quarter added to the National Register of Historic Places?
The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 13 July 1993 as a part of a multiple property submission, “Plantation Houses of ...
