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Saturiwa Trail Tour Stop 6
Transcript
MARKER #6 - KINGSLEY PLANTATION COMPLEX
You should now be in the parking lot or at the entrance to Kingsley Plantation. As the Plantation is open to the public from 9 AM to 5 PM most days with the exclusion of holidays, please feel free to exit the car and tour the grounds and the National Park Service Visitor Center.
Operated by NPS as part of the 46,000 acre Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Kingsley Plantation offers an authentic view of an early 1800’s sea island cotton plantation. The house, built by John McQueen in 1791, is the oldest plantation house still standing in Florida. The extensive remains of 23 tabby slave cabins provide a valuable resource to learn about slavery.
Fields of Sea Island cotton were planted and tilled by plantation slaves on Fort George Island. The island was a well-managed, money-making landscape for the owners. The slaves lived against a backdrop of bondage, agriculture, and family.
Daily activities of the enslaved men, women and children of the Fort George plantation were defined by the job assigned each day. Clearing the island of forest, they grew indigo and Sea Island cotton. They also grew the food needed for the families living at the plantation, both free and enslaved. After tasks were completed, they took care of their own livestock, gardens, and home.
Slaves came from different African cultures. Culture in the slave community persevered through the harsh conditions. The daily lives of plantation owners and slaves were intertwined in the rhythms of the seasons and the land. Meals and evenings were a time for relaxation. Many ideas, beliefs, and traditions were exchanged in their community.
John McQueen was the first to develop Fort George Island for large scale agriculture in the period between 1791-1804. McQueen sold his land to John McIntosh who operated it until 1814, when he leased it to Zephaniah Kingsley. Kingsley and his wife Anna operated a successful sea island cotton plantation here from 1814-1839. They also grew corn and indigo. Indigo of this area was prized for its high quality.
Ask the staff in the visitor center here about scheduled tours, or read one of the many interpretive panels for further details on this interesting site, then proceed to Marker #7.
Description
Kingsley Plantation Complex
Credit
Florida Park Service/NPS
Date Created
12/21/2021
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