Four old cabins, there once were eleven. The enslaved people working the rice fields lived here.
They are down a short road, away from the main house at Magnolia Plantation. Probably closer to the swamp and ponds that are home to alligators.
The buildings survived federal troops moving towards Charleston, the main house did not. After emancipation these four buildings remained occupied for years by people who stayed to continue working here. They most likely worked the phosphate digs once rice was gone. Phosphate mounds can be still be seen from modern roads passing the plantations entrances.
A recently published book, ‘Sleeping With The Ancestors’ by local historian Joseph McGill details theses cabins and his beginning of the project to sleep in slave dwellings across the country. I believe an interview with Joe can be found on NPR.
Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina.
The roof lines remind me of old, swayback, mules.
Or me first thing in the AM
Slave cabins always get me. There is a lingering in them.
A lingering feeling of despair.
I agree with Flower, and I love “there is a lingering in them”. These shots are so haunting.
The photographs came out much better than what I had in my head 😂.
Joe has tied these houses, and many others, together through his on going projects and book making sure the dwellings are real and not some abstract thoughts. I made sure to go back and reread the chapter on Magnolia before finishing these images.