- Stagville. Stagville plantation is located in parts of what are now Orange, Durham, Wake, and Granville counties. Phasing and mean ceramic dates can be found on the Chronology page. Thomas Bennehan inherited Stagville and lived there until 1847. The ambitious Virginia-born merchant Richard Bennehan established a store by the road and the first of several plantations in the 1770s. "You can still see the Cameron nameprobably the most prominent place is in Chapel Hill," Cecelski says. Stagville is dedicated to interpreting the lives, culture, and labors of enslaved people on the Bennehan-Cameron plantations. Jennifer Farley, director of the Stagville State Historic Site, a plantation that once spanned about 47.5 square miles across parts of Durham, Orange, Wake and Granville counties, restarted the . See more The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land, and claimed ownership over about 900 people who were enslaved" at the plantation. Bennehan-Cameron family's plantation would become one of the largest in the state, growing to nearly 30,000 acres and enslaving over 900 people. A portrait of Duncan Cameron in the kitchen of the Bennehan House at. Horton Grove was an area of houses for enslaved African-Americans at the 30000 acre Bennehan-Cameron plantation complex, which included Stagville Plantation in the northeastern part of Durham County, North Carolina. By 1860, this lands, owned by the Bennehan and Cameron families, spread out over 30,000 acres (47 sq. Stagville played a major role in this. These finds are an important step in Historic Stagville's ultimate vision. That changed on April 11, 1865. Thomas Bennehan never married, however, and upon his death in 1847 Stagville passed to the Cameron family. The plantation belonged to the Bennehan-Cameron family, whose combined holdings totaled approximately 900 enslaved people and almost 30,000 acres of land by 1860. The Horton family farm grew to include 410 . A plantation of this stature was unique for North Carolina, as only about 25 percent of the white adult population in the state were slaveholders and most owned fewer than 10 slaves. Among them they owned about 350 people (the legacy of this plantation and its black and white descendants was the subject of another excellent . By the time of the Civil War, Paul . Dates excavated: 1979. Stagville Plantation: Nice but odd - See 12 traveler reviews, 5 candid photos, and great deals for Bahama, NC, at Tripadvisor. Hoodoo (spirituality) "Cameron Avenue runs through campus and is named for Paul Cameron, who was . Stagville protects a fraction of the land from that plantation, including original housing for enslaved people (1851), a massive barn (1860), and a Bennehan family house (1787-1799). triangleland.org Text and photograph courtesy of Historic Stagville State Historic Site. Sloop Point was once owned by John Baptista Ashe, who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. The Cameron and Bennehan families owned the 30,000 acres of land. The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land, and claimed ownership over about 900 people who were enslaved on this property. "Historic Stagville" was once the largest plantation in the state of North Carolina. Stagville continues to expand the interpretation of the history of slavery, with archaeology, oral histories, and archival research. A plantation of this. Stagville Plantation is located in Durham County, North Carolina. "Historic Stagville" was once the largest plantation in the state of North Carolina. The Stagville Historic Site protects some of the land from the plantation, including the original slave quarters, a barn, and a Bennehan family house. By 1887 he had moved to Fairntosh. Stagville, Durham, North Carolina. . . The Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization which raises funds to support Historic Stagville State Historic Site's mission and programs. The park preserves two homes dating from the 1700s, original slave cabins, barns, a graveyard and other features of a 30,000 acre plantation that was the largest in North Carolina. Elizabeth Hemings Site. After Duncan Cameron married Rebecca Benneham in 1803, the couple lived at Rebecca's homeplace, Stagville for several years before beginning building their own house in 1810. The Family Tree project at Historic Stagville, located in Durham County, NC, may be a valuable resource for family genealogists tracing their African American roots. The Bennehan House at the Stagville Plantation. Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the . This exhibit centers the experiences of enslaved men and women on the largest antebellum plantation in the state. MRS 2. Beside Stagville Plantation: Duncan Cameron (1777-1853) National Register of Historic Places Application. Aside from owning the Cameron plantation, which stood on around 10 acres of land. Relevance. The grounds are beautiful and have nice walking trails, but the guided tour was the best. In 1860 Stagville was the largest plantation in North Carolina, encompassing 30,000 acres and worked by nearly 1,000 enslaved people. Part of the 30,000-acre property that was owned by the Bennehan-Cameron family is preserved by Stagville, including the original slave quarters at Horton Grove. Their combined holdings totalled around 30,000 acres of land by the time 1860 hit, and they owned around 900 slaves. Stagville Established in 1787 by the Bennehan and Cameron families, Stagville was the largest plantation in North Carolina. With buildings constructed from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century, Stagville was part of one of the largest plantation complexes in the American South. Stagville, a plantation of several thousand acres, lay at the center of this enormous estate. The site of Fairntosh was originally part of the Stagville Plantation, owned by the Bennehan family. Photo by Corey Pilson . There are few original houses left on the property, which is one of the largest plantation complexes in the South. Stagville was part of an extensive plantation complex owned by the Bennehan and Cameron families from the end of the 18th century through the middle of the 20th century. Established in 1787 by the Bennehan and Cameron families, Stagville was the largest plantation in North Carolina. over the United States reunited at Stagville for a family reunion. The Bennehan family expanded the home in 1799. Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of enslaved people on the plantation. Despite this attraction being listed in Raleigh, it is actually north of Durham. In 1860 more than nine hundred On land he from Judith Stagg he and his wife, Mary Amis, controlled their estate from the vernacular Georgian-style house (Bennehan House, 1787) still standing at Stagville. Cameron had previously built a house and law office . Established in 1787 by the Bennehan and Cameron families Stagville was the largest plantation in North Carolina. portions of the enormous property owned by the bennehan and cameron families in the past are retained at the historic site, with a slave community at horton grove, an enormous barn nearby, where many people would have worked and much of the wealth of the plantation would have been stored, and smaller workshop and storage buildings scattered Horton Grove. Primary Source: Cameron Family Plantation Records. The state historic site has shifted its focus over the last 10 years from depicting the life of the Bennehan-Cameron. None of the "these were the good ol' days of the south' weirdness that I was expecting. Historic Stagville is a state historic site in Durham, North Carolina. Time and again the idea persists that the enslaved people's homes were weak and shoddily constructed, implied in the sort of backhanded compliment that historian Jean Bradley Anderson pays the Horton Grove homes at Stagville Plantation in North Carolina wherein Anderson says that they were "unusually well-constructed.". A straight-forward histrical tour with interesting tidbits interspersed. Our goal is to provide a balanced interpretation through tours and special events that tell the story of free . Khadija McNair is a. Excavator (s): Jennifer Garlid and Tom Funk. "Stagville is a plantation site that's focused on telling stories about . At the Stagville Plantation, at least 900 enslaved people worked against their will for the Bennehan-Cameron family. The plantation holdings of the Bennehan-Cameron families were among the largest in pre-Civil War North Carolina, and among the largest of the entire South. Visit the Historic Stagville State Historic Site online to learn more about upcoming events, education, and history. Stagville Historic Site is located approximately 10 miles north of downtown Durham. But the Cameron family that owned the Stagville plantation - that name persists, even as Confederate statues have fallen in Durham and on the UNC Campus. We visited the Stagville Plantation and loved it. Jody Mace Stagville State Historic Site, 5828 Old Oxford Highway in Durham, contains the remnants of one of the largest plantations of the pre-Civil War South. The Stagville State Historic Site preserves a significant part of the thirty thousand acres owned by the Bennehan-Cameron Family, along with the slave dwellings for the nine hundred . Tour the 18th century [] At one point, nearly 1,000 people were forced to labor there in the mid-1800s. There are a number of original structures still standing. The site comprises the remnants of one of the largest plantations of the pre-Civil War South. This is one of their stories The plantation of the Benehan-Cameron family was one of the largest in North Carolina, and probably one of the largest in the South. In 1860 more than nine hundred enslaved people lived on its thirty thousand acres. Stagville Plantation dates back to the 1700s, as a wheat, corn, rye and textile farm owned by the Bennehan and Cameron families who profited from this free Black labor. . 14 reviews of Stagville Historic "I took a friend from out of town here on a tour and it was surprisingly good. "I heard the shouts all over the plantations. You can help decorate these houses for the coming Christmas season! 8 related topics. In 1860 more than nine hundred enslaved people lived on its thirty thousand acres. At its height, the plantation encompassed 30,000 acres and enslaved more than 900 individuals. Size: 54.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 39300 items) Abstract: Bennehan Cameron, a white plantation owner, railroad executive, industrialist, and promoter of good roads, of Fairntosh and Stagville plantations, Durham County, N.C., and Raleigh, N.C. The Sloop Point plantation in Pender County, built in 1729, is the oldest surviving plantation house and the second oldest house surviving in North Carolina, after the Lane House (built in 1718-1719 and not part of a plantation). Aug 26, 2022 5. The Bennehan home started out as a two- room house in the vernacular Georgian style. Occupation Dates: Early 19th through early 20th century. Stagville was self-sustaining, and many slaves were trained as . Today, the focal point of the site is four original two-story slave dwellings. The historic site occupies a small portion of that land. The Freedom Struggle: 1865 at Stagville In 1865, over 900 men, women, and children were enslaved on the Cameron family plantations, known as Stagville, near Durham, North Carolina. One of the largest complexes with remnants of antebellum plantation, the Stagville State Historic Site is equipped with four original and historic slave quarters. Our tour guide was late 20s/early 30s social studies teacher who volunteered there and he was excellent. Durham is home to Stagville, one of the largest pre-Civil War plantations - nearly 30,000 acres and 900 slaves were held by the Bennehan-Cameron families by 1860. Prior to the Civil War, Duncan Cameron owned one of the largest holdings of enslaved men and women in the area. Plantation: Date: Location: Original Owner: Source: The Historic Stagville Foundation, www.stagville.org 1860 Census and Slave Schedules for Chatham, Orange and Wake Counties; Alston Family Papers and Dunn Family Papers at Wilson Library . SOURCES. Fairntosh Farm. Residence. "Stagville is a plantation site that's focused on telling stories about slavery, enslaved people, and the history of white supremacy in an honest and ethical way," said Cecelski. The enslaving family's house is therefore the most accessible section . Richard Bennehan, a Virginian merchant, established Stagville plantation. The tour visits three sites, the plantation house, the slave quarters, and the large barn. About 900 men, women and children were . By 1860, the Bennehan-Cameron family owned 30,000 acres of land, with more than 900 slaves scattered across the property. A plantation site featuring original slave quarters debuts a new interpretation to connect 1850 to the present day community. Stagville provides a window into an important chapter in North Carolina history. today as part of the preserved plantation site. The structure was built in about 1787, with a two-story addition completed in 1799. From 1771 to 1865, the Bennehan-Cameron family held more than 900 Black people in bondage on 30,000 acres of land, stealing their work and selling off their relatives for profit. . Duncan Cameron and his son Paul Cameron owned thousands of acres of land in North Carolina, and Paul also purchased plantations in Alabama and Mississippi. [9] This . At its nexus, the plantation controlled 30,000+ acres of land and enslaved 900+ on the property and at nearby plantation Fairntosh. The story of Stagville begins with Richard Bennehan, his wife and two children. Site 8. Visit the house of the Bennehan-Cameron slaveholders, the 1851 house of an enslaved family, and the house of a freed family after Emancipation. Bennehan-Cameron land holdings would eventually grow to ~30,000 acres. Stewart-Watkins. The almost 30,000 acres were tended by some 900 slaves, most of whom lived in family groups as the plantation owner families tended not to sell the laborers they "owned". The Plantation Letters. It's only $2 for adults and $1 for children. The Cameron family of Orange County was one of antebellum North Carolina's wealthiest families. The almost 30,000 acres were tended by some 900 slaves, most of whom lived in family groups as the plantation owner families tended not to sell the laborers they "owned". Their unmarried son Thomas also lived there until his death in 1847. While self-guided tours are allowed, I would recommend a guided tour. At one point, the family owned more than 900 slaves. Most of them worked in the fields growing . Navigate North America Using Map. Stagville Plantation: A place that helped define NC historySubscribe to WXII on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1mVq5umGet more Winston-Salem news: http:. Stagville Plantation (Durham North Carolina) tour guide explains the fingerprints of enslaved children found impressed on the bricks on a plantation dwelling. The land of the Horton Grove Nature Preserve used to be part of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina, owned by the Bennehan and Cameron families. DURHAM, N.C. Historic Stagville in Durham is one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. , Farm. Bennehan came to North Carolina in 1768 to manage a store on Little River owned by Scottish merchant William Johnston. Explore Stagville and learn about holiday traditions for all families at one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. The Bennehan-Cameron family enslaved over 900 people across 30,000 acres of land in Piedmont North Carolina. Known as Stagville, the Bennehan-Cameron family's plantation would become one of the largest in the state, growing to nearly 30,000 acres and enslaving over 900 people. miles) and was home to over 900 enslaved people. Stagville was Individual Features Not Assigned to Feature Groups: The site also documents the history of descendants of enslaved people. The entire complex was owned by the Bennehan, Mantack and Cameron families; it comprised roughly 30,000 acres (120 . West Kitchen Yard/Dry Well/MRS 1. Stagville was one of the largest plantations in North Carolina, maybe even one of the largest in the South. "Stagville is dedicated to teaching . Historic Stagville is a state historic site that includes the remnants of the Bennehan-Cameron family-owned approximately plantation. These include two-story enslaved family dwellings, a . Welcome to the Historic Stagville Foundation! Now a state historic site, Stagville was once one of North Carolina's largest plantations. What family owned the Stagville plantation? The plantation had 30,000 acres of land and had over 900 enslaved people on the property. The Allred Family owned 14 Slaves, names & additional info included on Allred Family Organization website: Moore County. The remains of Historic Stagville consist of 71 acres in three tracts. The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land, and enslaved about 900 people on this property. Horton Grove, named after the family of yeoman farmers who had once owned the site, was one of several centers on the 4,000-acre Stagville Plantation, itself was part of the extensive Bennehan-Cameron lands. The entire complex was owned by the Bennehan and Cameron families; it comprised roughly 30,000 acres and was home to almost 900 enslaved African-Americans in 1860. Historic Stagville | Durham, NC Historic Stagville preserves a small portion of the plantation holdings of the Cameron-Bennehan families. The family purchased the property in 1787 and ran a store. . Stagville is the site of the largest antebellum plantation complex in North Carolina. With buildings constructed from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century, Stagville was part of one of the largest plantation complexes in the American South. Historic Stagville is a state historic site that includes the remnants of the one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. Today, the site is around 71 acres, in three tracts. Building t. East Kitchen Yard. Today, it is a place where visitors can connect to and reckon with a painful history of racial oppression that still shapes our present. Jennette Thompson was one of the visitors in search of answers about her family tree at Stagville's Family Day. Stagville by Kenneth McFarland, 2006 Stagville, an eastern Orange County (now Durham County) plantation of several thousand acres, initially belonged to Virginia-born merchant Richard Bennehan (1743-1825). Site 7. The Bennehan-Cameron family Historic Stagville is a state historic site that includes the remnants of the one of the largest plantations in North Carolina.