A Place of Hope Called Sugarland: New Insights from the Dorsey SIte, an early African American farm, in Sugarland, Maryland

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Pre-Recorded Video Presentation Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The Sugarland Community near Poolesville, MD was founded in 1871. At its peak, Sugarland was the largest early African American community in Montgomery County Maryland.Sugarland had a church, community hall, governing group of elders, grocer, a local band, and a school.The Dorsey farm is a woman-owned farm and one of the smallest farms in town and this report highlights the results of the 2021 and 2022 testing. We uncovered buttons, buckles, overall straps, and safety pins reflecting the clothing worn by the Dorseys or the women’s cleaning and sewing business and their roles as midwives. Sugarland thrives because of its strength and the hope that founders put in place in 1871. This year SEHP began renovations of the church including a new roof. This year we have continued to uncover farm buildings and the SEHP has renovated the walls of the church and put in a new HVAC system.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Pre-Recorded Video Presentation Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow