Railroads in the late 1800s

These train prints from the latter 1800s show a lot about the values of the time. In order I feel that these pictures show the peoples leaving of the city in search of new opportunities out west. There is clearly little value placed on the environment and no concern for air pollution, America wanted what was best no matter who or what it affected. Life centered around railroads but it wasn't the most glamorous life.

Slave House

Assessing the Sweet Briar Slave Cabin

Assessing the Sweet Briar Slave Cabin

Prior to our class discussion about the slave cabin on Sweet Briar’s campus, I honestly didn’t know much about the structure.  In fact all I really knew was that we had one.  I was unaware of its location, what it looked like, or what it even was.  Now that I have a broader knowledge of the cabin, I think it is a fascinating relic for the history of this school and our country.

            Sweet Briar College prides itself in its rich history of once being a large working plantation; a bucolic scene of rich history nestled in the state of Virginia. The college has made several attempts to preserve many of the plantations original structures including the Plantation House and the cemeteries. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, just a small square house made of wood with a few windows and a door, but the cabin contains immense amounts of history dating back to its construction in the early 1800s. The structure once served as the shelter and home for Sterling Jones and his children as well as many other slaves throughout the college’s prior plantation life. Home is one generally of the many places in the world that a person feels truly relaxed and safe, so this little building was once a sacred place for many people, people who lived during one of the most pivot time period in terms of our country’s future.

I do think it is important that we preserve the cabins original structure, however its purpose then is no longer relevant to todays society.  I think it is important that we embrace our history of slavery and “peculiar institution”.  This is not because we should be proud of our past, but instead that we are proud of how we have progressed from that point.  It serves as a reminder of our growth as a country and as human beings.  As stated by George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  We must understand our wrongdoings, but learn from them and use them as guides for our future.  Although I do not think the cabin’s original function should be forgotten, I do think we should progress forward.  While preserving the structure true to its time, I think it would be an excellent place to have an office for a history or anthropology professor.  Who better to occupy the space than someone who truly understands and loves what it is. It could follow with the theme of the old train station and the old water purification building, in recycling what was already here and appreciating it by giving it new life. A museum would preserve the cabin, but a person is never as interested or as fascinated the second time they go to a museum. An exhibit is stiff and meticulous, I would much rather create an environment that encourages and welcomes people to come live and work amongst the history instead of just looking at it.

            I think its prior of being a slave cabin scares off many students and makes them feel uncomfortable.  By creating a space for professors where its value in terms of learning is the focus and not its grim past, students would feel more comfortable in the space.  When discussing the cabin I think it would be beneficial to exhibit it as a base for the growth of civil rights in America.  Tying in the cabin to Sweet Briar’s history with civil rights and including when Sweet Briar opened its doors to African Americans would put a more positive emphasis on the cabin. In addition it would be rather intriguing to have an exhibit that focuses on slave cabins in general and compares the one we have here with those around the south. Knowing how slaves here lived versus slaves in other areas could invoke several realizations.  There could be regional differences in slave cabins across the south or differences from time periods.  This is an opportunity to expand and learn more, not limit ourselves to what we already know.  Sweet Briar may be the only college in the world to own a slave cabin and I think that that should be embraced.

            I can’t say I knew much about slave cabins before I came here. However, this cabin has sparked an interest in me learn more about the plantations history and the history of slave dwellings. This is the kind of thing that sets Sweet Briar apart from other colleges; we are able to walk through the history and not just read about it. The slave cabin is the perfect opportunity to combine the old with new. This cabin has a rich history but why does it have to stop; I think we should keep the building alive and continue to build its history instead of simply freezing it in time.