Agenda - 10-02-1995 - IX-F - Laserfiche WebLink

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54 Duke 3_�nifiersitu DURHAM ' NORTH CAROLINA 27708-0332 SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT TELEPHONE (919) 613-8013 OFFICE OF THE DUKE FOREST FACSIMILE (91 9) 684-8741 eox90332 Alexander Hogan Plantation Statement to the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission September 12, 1995 The tracts of land comprising the Duke Forest contain several old farms with the remnants of structures, cemeteries, grist mills and other evidence of early life in the North Carolina Piedmont. The historical record of one such farm, the Alexander Hogan Plantation, was initially determined in the spring of 1993 by Professor Dawn Bodo, a cultural anthropologist at Elon College. Professor Bodo and her archaeology students began an investigation of the site for a class case study on the recommendation of Eugene and Julia Blackwood, whose family history was the subject of Professor Bodo's research at the time. The class uncovered a cemetery that included the graves of the Hogan family members, possibly their slaves, and freed men who had inherited or purchased the land after the plantation's demise around 1890. In addition to the cemetery, the students also found the remains of two outbuildings, a chimney which was later associated with the house site, and numerous artifacts lying under thick vegetative cover. Her students researched the genealogy and land use history of the site, and found that they had in fact discovered a small plantation dating back to 1838. Based on the Elon College students' research, Professor Bodo considered the plantation to be a"cultural resource that would shed light on life during the 18th and 19th centuries." Archaeologists specializing in Southeastern archaeology corroborated Professor Bodo's beliefs about the plantation's historical significance. Of the ten to fifteen plantation sites recorded in Orange County, very few have been as well-preserved as the Hogan Plantation or have as much historical data collected from them. According to Dr. I. Randolph Daniel of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Research Laboratories of Anthropology, "virtually no archaeological work has been done on any such site in the county and . . . only very limited work has been reported from similar sites elsewhere in the state." The plantation has been left in much the same condition as it was when it was purchased some 50 years ago as part of the Duke Forest. Because site preservation is unusually good,the Hogan Plantation is likely to yield significant information concerning the spatial arrangement of plantation structures and the daily activities associated with them. In addition, as a good portion of African-American history from this time cannot be found in written records, the Hogan Plantation should provide insight into the role of African-Americans in small plantation life, and early American history in general, through the archaeological record contained there. Scholars from both Elon College and UNC have documented that the Alexander Hogan Plantation stands as a notable example of daily life in the Piedmont during the antebellum and post-bellum eras and should contribute greatly to the historical record of Orange County. We are extremely fortunate to have a site as well-preserved as the Hogan Plantation on our property. It most certainly will be an invaluable asset to researchers and residents alike. We support the nomination of the Alexander Hogan Plantation to the National Register of Historic Places and appreciate the work of all involved.