The enslaved cottages on Hayes Plantation are some of the rare and important structures that tell the story of life in Edenton, NC since the mid-18th century. Hayes Plantation was a large estate owned by Samuel Johnston, a prominent politician and governor of North Carolina, and his descendants. The plantation had hundreds of enslaved people who worked on the fields, gardens and house. The cottages were their living quarters and are among the few surviving examples of slave dwellings in North Carolina123.

The cottages are made of wood and have a simple rectangular plan with a gable roof. They have one or two rooms with a fireplace and a chimney. Some of them have porches or additions that were added later. The cottages are located near the main house, which is a large brick Georgian mansion built in 181745.

Hayes Plantation was recently sold to the town of Edenton for $6.1 million by the Wood family, who inherited it from Johnston’s descendants. The town plans to preserve the plantation as a historic site and open it to the public in the future123. The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation will help restore and maintain the buildings on Hayes Plantation, including the enslaved cottages23

свернуть