The Plantation Names Project

Crowd-sourcing the named landscape of plantations

Historians are hardwired to rely on written archival sources. However, there are many occasions when those sources let us down, or out-right deceive us.

I am working to build a fully-rounded picture of how the plantation landscape was named and defined, not only by plantation owners, but also by their enslaved and free workers. Using patchy land records and surviving maps from the 17th and 18th centuries we only have a limited sense of the former and virtually no evidence for the latter. That is why I am keen to incorporate local knowledge and oral tradition. If you know of any stories or traditions surrounding the names of particular plantations, places or plantations, or landscapes on the plantation landscape, anywhere in British America, then I would love to hear from you. If you have a local history source or amateur publication that you think might be helpful then please do provide a reference.

Thanks for your help.

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Plantation/Place/Landscape Name

What are the name/names that you have information about?

Details

Share any details you know about this name or any local traditions that you think might be helpful. If you have a citation or web-link to more information please include it.

Follow-Up

Would you be willing to answer any potential follow-up questions about the information you have provided?

Yes

Updates

Would you like to be kept informed of future developments in the plantation naming project and hear about any publications that arise from the project?

Yes

You can also reach me at:

History Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755

(603) 646-3382

paul.musselwhite@dartmouth.edu