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. No longer anonymous, the men, women, and children who called Evergreen Plantation home provide a window to the past and enhance the historical narrative. 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. It is meant for everyone, from scholars who wish to engage in comparative analysis to individuals searching for their ancestors. The grounds include 37 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including 22. Search the Preservation in Print archives. [6][7], It is a production site of films such as Django Unchained (2012)[8] and Antebellum (2020). Itinerary Home | List Should I Form A Corporation For My Lawn Mowing Company? It is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. The carts traveled to the cane mill for processing. The Evergreen Plantation was founded in 1752 by the family. On February 13, 1852, Ned Edwards was sold in a group with five other men. 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 Call 985-497-3837 to arrange a visit. The oldest plantation in Louisiana is the St. Louis Plantation, which was founded in 1718 by Pierre Le Moyne dIberville. Family involvement in marital disputes was a major factor in Creoles lives. 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 Rural Development Initiative for African American Farmers is one of several programs the agency has developed to assist African American farmers. Some labeled the agency the last plantation for failing to support black agricultural initiatives, arguing that it was thus becoming the last pillar of support. The agency, on the other hand, has made significant progress in improving relations with black farmers since 1997. The only known historic map of the plantation See other South Carolina Historic Houses. The plantation house and original slave quarters have been preserved and well-kept which, come to find out, is quite the rarity. The database is both sophisticated in the quantity and quality of information it contains and simple in its design. Evergreen Plantation was one of the largest and most successful African American-owned plantations in the antebellum South. This new technology had the advantage of being a more controlled method of boiling, where lower temperatures were required and less fuel was needed. Neither structure are still standing (, 1920 A house on the plantation, called Ingleside, was lost to fire (, 1923 The house that currently stands on the property was built. The first black troops to join the United States army did so in Louisiana. Featuring the documented images collected by students Abbigail Sproul and Jacob Johnson. The work of researcher and historian Katy Morlas Shannon, the slavery database is available at evergreenplantation.org/slavery-database. Because of its quality and significance, the plantation was included among the first 26 featured sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. Shirley Plantation, which dates back to 1614, is one of Americas oldest plantations. Neds children and grandchildren continued to live and work at Evergreen Plantation for decades to come. . 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. 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. The Agricultural Service Agency has long been criticized for its role in black farmers failure to succeed in the agricultural sector. 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. He married Aime, a 17 year old girl enslaved on the plantation with her mother Katty and siblings. The Catholic Church in Louisiana completely embraced family alliances when it came to marriage. 2023 Louisiana Office of Tourism. The 400 acres of Evergreens sugarcane fields are still productive. These birds are currently not seen standing quietly under the two rows of live oak trees that surround them. 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. Heidel, a French Creole, founded Evergreen Plantation in 1886. Danny Hymel and his family have been farming the property for more than two centuries, as Alfred Songys great-grandson. He died on November 18, 1908, and was buried the next day by Reverend Albert Washington in the Second African Baptist Church cemetery (now known as Young Cemetery). Despite this, the agency has made progress in improving its relationship with black farmers since 1997. We are open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., and tours are not permitted the following holiday week. Slave laborers who planted, hoed, weeded, dug irrigation, and harvested the cane were subjected to harsh working conditions. 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. Many of the slave laborers on plantations in the South worked in the fields as plow hands, carters, ditchers, or woodcutters, among others. Unpacking the history of the largest plantation in the southern US, and its people. Hogsheads of sugar were transported down the Mississippi River to New Orleans and then on to other markets. 103 slaves in 48 dwellings. Evergreen Plantation is committed to telling the stories of the men, women, and children who were enslaved here. 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. It does not indicate race. You can search for all domestics (house slaves), field hands, or more specialized jobs, such as engineer, cooper, carpenter, etc. 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. His name was listed as Edward Edmond on the sale document and his age as 19. The plantation is located in Edgard, Louisiana, and was originally part of a land grant from the French Crown. The plantation has been reaching out to descendants of enslaved people who lived and worked there. 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. More than 400 individuals were enslaved at Evergreen Plantation over the course of 150 years. Today, many plantation homes are portrayed as elegant gardens with beautiful interiors, ignoring the darker side of their history. When Is The Best Time To Start Mowing Your Lawn In Sioux Falls South Dakota? Old Shiloh School1.6 miles Lake Hartwell3.3 miles Milky Way Farm3.6 miles Starr9.1 miles Show me more like this! The number of slaves fluctuated over the years, but there were always at least 300 slaves working on the plantation. it is clear that they are indeed antebellum. 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. African Americans were the majority owners and operators of the plantation during its earliest days in the 1790s. On August 20, 1864, Ned joined the 80th United States Colored Infantry. This digital archive will serve as a resource for teachers, students, historians, genealogists, and visitors. He returned home to Aime and their sons. Thirty years later in 1843, Norbert Rillieux, a Free Person of Color from New Orleans, developed his superior double effect vacuum pan. There has been continuous intermarriage between the Haydels and Becnels families of St. John the Baptist parish for more than two centuries. Cabins and oaks, upriver (east) side of quarters. The house is open to the public by reservation only. The main house was constructed mostly in 1790, and renovated to its current Greek Revival style in 1832. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1992 for its rich architectural legacy. Susan Langenhennigis PRCs Director of Communications and the editor of Preservation in Print. Evergreen Plantation was one of the largest plantations in the Southern United States, with more than 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land and over 150 slaves. The plantation was established in 1752 by Claude Treme, and was later owned by his son-in-law, Jacques Treme. their original appearance and double row configuration, have survived There were some cotton plantations with fewer slaves, but there were also cotton plantations with fewer slaves. There are 37 structures still listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Evergreen Plantation, located near New Orleans, is the largest intact plantation complex in the South. 1801 Succession, estate of Christophe Haydel, founder of Evergreen Plantation and Magdelaines father. The 1860 census lists Lezin The Mulberry Grove Plantation in Georgia was built in 1736, making it the states oldest plantation. 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. On June 14, 1805, a baby named Celeste was baptized at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard, La. Evergreens front spiraling steps are featured in one of the films most popular scenes. Creole indicates that the individual was born in Louisiana. By the 1940s, the plantation was reacquired and fully restored. In 1944, when Mrs. Gray purchased Evergreen Plantation, the double row of slave cabins was occupied primarily by sugar cane workers. 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. The family also owns a number of slaves, who work the plantation. Slaves were highly skilled, and without them, the . 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. Over the years the plantation's property was subdivided and sold (1). 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. 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. He also built a brick home located near a spring. 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. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. Ned was one of them. One of his grandchildren, Olivia Simon, lived to be 100 years old. See other South Carolina Barns & Farms It is surprising that these quarters, retaining SLAVERY DATABASE More than 400 individuals were enslaved at Evergreen Plantation over the course of 150 years. In its prime, Evergreen had more than 350 slaves, making it one of the largest plantations in the South. Later used to designate a child of a mulatto with someone of full African ancestry, Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Baptismal records, Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Funeral records, Sale records from New Orleans Notarial Archives. His son, Julius Richard, was born here on September 11, 1929; the family later added a second floor made of wood. The plantation was originally used for growing indigo, but later switched to sugarcane when the demand for indigo declined. 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. 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. African Americans served as Evergreen Plantations workforce and lived in quarters there for more than 200 years. is the Mississippi River Commission map of 1876, which shows 22 cabins [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. Evergreen Plantation, a former plantation located in 1857, has been preserved in the following photograph. This plantation was abandoned in the 1930s due to the Depression, but it has since been restored and is now a sugar cane plantation. The house is open to the public by Merritt was examined by Lezin Becnel, the owner of Evergreen Plantation, in early January 1845. 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. Evergreen Plantation is a former sugar cane plantation in Wallace, Louisiana, that was slave labor-dependent for its operation. The plantation house and outbuildings are well preserved and offer a glimpse into the life of the plantation owners. Boddie hopes that the exhibits and documents will pique the interest of descendants of all residents of Evergreen. During the plantations nineteenth century heyday, the majority of the workers lived in the quarters houses, which were run by African Americans. His wife is from the Caribbean, and he brought many of her cultures influences with him from home. 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 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. 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. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. They attended the Second African Baptist Church. Want to search back even further? 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. The antebellum era saw thousands of cabins built throughout the South. The plantation is now a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public for tours. Evergreen Plantation is the only one in the South still standing. According to Joseph McGill, this is the largest collection of slave dwellings in the world. You can get a sense of Louisianas sugar cane industry firsthand by taking a tour of the facility. 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 (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. and doors remain, but nearly 150 years of patching, repairs, and reconstruction They bring to life the identities of real people who lived and worked on this specific site. Neds term of enlistment expired in March 1867. Becnel paid $6800 for the six enslaved men, which would be approximately $232,000 today. Artists representation of slave cabin, circa 1800. An essential source for navigating the background, process, and findings during the excavation of Evergreen Plantation. 18, in Wallace. in the same configuration and location. On the eve of the Civil War, most sugarcane plantations in Louisiana used vacuum pans to produce unrefined crystallized sugar. 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. 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