the hermiatge plantation
SANKOFA'S SLAVERY DATA COLLECTION
The
Hermitage Plantation
Location: near Nashville, Davidson Co., TN
Constructed: 1804
History: In the first half of the nineteenth century The Hermitage was home
to more than 130 slaves and was one of the largest plantations in Tennessee’s
fertile central basin.
Associated Surnames: Jackson
Associated Free White Names
- (1804 - 1845) Andrew Jackson: 17th U.S. president
Associated Black Slave Names
Agriculture
- Cotton, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, pumpkins
Livestock
- hogs, cows, sheep, horses, poultry
Description of Associated Architecture
- Slave Houses: most enslaved families lived in single room brick dwellings
measuring about 400 square feet. These buildings, many built as duplexes,
were clustered in three different areas – one set directly behind the mansion,
one about 300 yards behind it, and one, labeled the field quarter, another
350 yards beyond. These cabins, located at the back of the property, were
home to the Jacksons from 1804-1821. When the Hermitage mansion was constructed
in 1821, the cabins became slave dwellings.
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