Near Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Dairy
"Prepare your butter for use as in Common & Immerse it in the Liquid & Keep it continually covered & it will keep sweet & good."
From the Housekeeping Book of Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, 1832
Milk products were produced and stored here. Hanson, the enslaved cook, required an ample supply of fresh cream and butter in preparing meals for the Lewis family and their many guests. Slaves milked cows nearby and poured the liquid into pans, which were then placed on shelves that lined the interior walls. Cream would rise and be removed for use or to be churned into butter.
The inside of the dairy was kept clean and cool; the lattice-covered openings on each side of the structure promoted ventilation. A well, located next to the kitchen and wash house, provided a convenient source of cool, fresh water, as did nearby streams.
[Captions:]
Visitors to Woodlawn would have seen and smelled various livestock including cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Enslaved people were responsible for their care.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1832.
Location. 38° 43.039′ N, 77°
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Necessary (a few steps from this marker); Meat House (within shouting distance of this marker); Woodlawn (within shouting distance of this marker); The People of Woodlawn (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Woodlawn (about 400 feet away); Pope-Leighey (about 600 feet away); Potomac Connections (about 700 feet away); Woodlawn Historic Landscapes (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Vernon.
Additional keywords. slave labor
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 11, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
