"A Splendid Location": Land Use On An Urban Block in Mobile, Alabama

Summary

An archaeological and historical study of upper- and middle-class households in Mobile, Alabama provided an opportunity to examine how certain forms of material culture and the built environment served to demarcate social, racial, and economic differences in this city and how these compared with other cities.  The block under consideration and its neighborhood were generally homogenous, with residents being the families of professionals. Notably, most of the properties were rentals; land use, architecture, and the organization of space reflected the commodification of real estate.  Moreover, while homeowners and developers on the block paid attention to fashionable architectural styles, there were few excessively flamboyant displays of wealth and status, regardless of social background.  This trend was mirrored in housewares, and suggested that residents were projecting communal class values at the level of the neighborhood rather than on behalf of individual households.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Beyond and Between the Plantation; The Archaeology of "Everything But" in the American Southeast   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 406