Existing comment:
Fragile Survivors:
The buildings around you have grown fragile over time. But their walls -- some over 200 years old -- testify silently to the endurance of those who lived and worked here during Florida's plantation era.
Between 1765 and 1865, Fort George Island was a working plantation. Up to 100 enslaved men, women and children worked to clear fields, toils over crops, constructed and maintained buildings, and cooked for their masters -- all the while trying to maintain a fragile sense of community. Despite the harsh conditions of slavery, the owner's constant scrutiny, and a difficult environment, these people persevered and developed a rich culture. |