Fredericksburg in Stafford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Enslaved Quarter
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 19, 2023
1. Enslaved Quarter Marker
Historic Kenmore and George Washingtons Ferry Farm website homepage
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Archaeologists uncovered evidence evidence at this site for a building known as "the quarter." It was housing for enslaved workers on the property. Excavations revealed a root cellar, quantities of nails, shards of ceramics and glassware, as well as a variety of small metal and bone artifacts. Many of these finds are now on display in the Ferry Farm Visitor Center. Evidence from the excavations, combined with research into other surviving examples of enslaved living quarters in the region, suggests that the quarter was used by a single person or a single family, who probably worked in the main house.
The reconstructed building will have wood clapboard siding, and a wood shingled roof, as well as shuttered windows without glass, and a single doorway. The interior will consist of one open room, with a fireplace at one end, and a root cellar in the floor for storage. A ladder will lead up to a loft space under the roof that may have also been a sleeping area.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Anthropology & Archaeology • Notable Buildings.
Location. 38° 17.731′ N, 77° 26.987′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Stafford County. It can
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Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area, in Northern Virginia, and in the Piedmont. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Quarter (a few steps from this marker); Cellar House (within shouting distance of this marker); Root Cellar (within shouting distance of this marker); George Washington Boyhood Home Site (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); George Washingtons Childhood Home (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fredericksburg's Wharves and Harbor (approx. 0.2 miles away); George Washingtons Boyhood Home at Ferry Farm (approx. 0.2 miles away); Creek Delegation in Fredericksburg (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.
Other markers no longer nearby. The Washington Plantation (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); The Ferries (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); The Civil War at Ferry Farm (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).
More about this marker. A diagram of the future enslaved quarter appears at the upper right of the marker.
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 19, 2023
2. Enslaved Quarter Marker
Photographed by Bill Coughlin, April 19, 2023
3. Marker at Ferry Farm
The enslaved quarters at Ferry Farm are still under construction.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2023, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 207 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 28, 2023, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
