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Kingsley Plantation, Slave Quarters, 11676 Palmetto Avenue, Jacksonville, Duval County, FL
Summary
Significance: Among the most notable of the surviving structures at Kingsley Plantation are the ruins of 25 (of 32) tabby slave houses. Most likely erected by Zephaniah Kingsley ca. 1822-30 the quarters were inhabited by slaves until the end of the Civil War and subsequently by freedpeople. By the late 1870s, however, most had fallen into disrepair and several were dismantled by John Rollins in order to build a dock and boathouse from tabby slabs. Nonetheless, the quarters designated as E1 still retained most of its roof framing when it was documented by HABS in 1934. Quarters E1 was restored by the state of Florida after its acquisition in 1966. A subsequent restoration of the building was undertaken by the National Park Service in 2004.
The Quarters are perhaps most notable for their siting and spatial organization. The 32 houses were arrayed in a vast semicircular arc (approximate 350 radius) which was bisected by Palmetto Avenue, the entrance road to the plantation. The two houses adjacent to the road (E1 and W1) and the two houses at the ends (E16 and W16) were built larger than the others. In plan each of the quarters consisted of one or two rooms with a fireplace at one end. The walls of the quarters were constructed of tabby poured into molds that extended the full height of the building, and then plastered. Wood framing supported the shingled roof. Remnants of tabby floors survive in several of the quarters. At an unknown date, the fireplaces in several of the quarters were rebuilt in clay brick.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1017
Survey number: HABS FL-478-A
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 70000182
Kingsley Plantation is a historic site located on Fort George Island in Jacksonville, Florida. It was originally established in 1814 by Zephaniah Kingsley, a wealthy plantation owner who owned several plantations in the southeastern United States. The plantation was primarily used to grow and harvest Sea Island cotton, a highly prized crop due to its long, silky fibres. The plantation was worked by enslaved Africans, many of whom were brought to the plantation from West Africa. Despite owning slaves, Kingsley was known for his relatively progressive views on race and slavery. He believed that enslaved Africans should be treated with dignity and respect and even married one of his slaves, a woman named Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley. Today, Kingsley Plantation is open to the public as part of the National Park Service. Visitors can tour the plantation's main house, which has been restored to its original 19th-century appearance, as well as several other historic buildings on the property. The site also features exhibits and educational programs that explore the history of slavery in the United States.
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