Interpreting Landscapes of Slavery at James Monroe’s Highland

Summary

The rediscovery of the previously unknown plantation house at James Monroe’s Highland has provided a new anchor to interpret the historic landscape of the 535-acre property. As much as the discovery of the Monroe house has grabbed the headlines and facilitated discussion about President Monroe’s place in American history, research into the landscapes of slavery, including dwellings, yards, and workspaces, stands to contribute even more to our understanding of social order on the plantation and race in the Early Republic. This paper presents recent survey and excavation data, providing a new overview of the plantation layout and how this layout was transformed over the course of the 19th century. Furthermore, these data are used to discuss the implementation and experience of enslavement at Highland, while simultaneously providing a tool to engage stories of slavery within a broader historical context.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Reckoning: Landscapes and Legacies of Slavery   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 701