Eliza’s House, a freedmen’s dwelling, is a significant structure at Middleton Place, part of the National Historic Landmark. Constructed in 1870, its origins date back to the often-overlooked Reconstruction era (1863-1877). This fourteen-year period was a pivotal time for the entire country. The United States economy was undergoing a reform, infrastructure was being rebuilt, and formerly enslaved people were starting new beginnings as freed peoples. Eliza’s House is one of several on the site that showcases the stories of the people who lived and worked at Middleton Place.
Freedmen’s dwellings are often characterized by their timber-frame, two symmetrical units, and a central chimney. The simple design of these structures allowed for inexpensive and quick construction, an ideal solution to rebuild infrastructure in a crumbled economy. Though freedmen’s dwellings have a plain and uncomplicated visual appeal, the ideologies it evokes suggests otherwise. The evolutions of the structures during the Reconstruction era provide an insight into how wealthy plantation owners continued to hold power over newly freed people. By providing the bare minimal living conditions, newly emancipated people often experienced similar circumstances as when they were enslaved.
In addition to the symbolic architecture of Eliza’s House, are the eye-opening contents inside. The left room contains a curated exhibit aimed at educating our guests on the institution of slavery and post-emancipation life. Though some of the signage provides information on Middleton Place as a rice plantation, what is perhaps one of the most captivating part of the exhibit is the list of nearly 3,200 names of people enslaved by the Middletons between 1738 and 1865. Compiled from an array of Middleton family papers, plantation and probate records, this list is the epitome of the Middleton Place Foundation mission: connecting people with the past, inspiring a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other through our shared American history.
The Middleton Place Foundation aims to tell the stories of the people who once lived and worked on the site. Though Eliza’s House only held a handful of residents during its time as a home, it is a gateway to unveiling the stories of the thousands of people who did not have a voice. The visual appearance signifies the post-Civil War American south, the restoration of the economy, and the social shifts amongst African Americans in Reconstruction era South Carolina.
