Hewn-Timber Houses

Hewn-Timber Cabins:
African-American life in rural South Carolina
1840s to 1950s

Home

Pictorial Record - Master Index

Online Tour of Ms. Catherine's

Educational Resources

Information for the Public

The hewn-timber cabins, ca. 1836, were built as sleeping quarters for African-Americans who
worked the land. The cabins were constructed by slaves to house slaves. The construction of the
cabins, especially the full dovetailed corners, shows that the builders were very skilled crafts-
men who took pride in their work. These homes are a representation of South Carolina history in its truest form and are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location: The hewn-timber cabins, ca. 1836, are located on Francis Marion University campus, 200 yards from Highway 76/301, on Wallace Woods Road (Gate Six).

Website: This website contains significant resources for those interested in learning more about these particular structures or about life in South Carolina during the 1840s to 1950s. It would not have been possible without Amelia Wallace Vernon's tireless efforts over several decades to capture local history. This website and the cabins represent the dedication of many individuals who recognize the importance of maintaining local history and its contribution to understanding the larger trends studied by historians.

What you will find at this website:
a. A pictorial record of exhibits associated with the hewn-timber cabins
This is a very large work assembled by Amelia Wallace Vernon and last updated in 2007. Pictures are organized in categories to speed navigation. This link takes you to a master index of the illustrations.

b. An online tour of the home belonging to Ms. Catherine
If you are unable to tour the cabins, this online tour might be helpful to give you insight about life in these homes from the perspective of one of the women who lived in them.

c. Educational resources
Over time, scholars, educators, and volunteers have assembled resources that may be of use to those who wish to spend more time studying this period of history. They are as follows:
    i.      Bibliographic listing of books and other materials on slavery and slave culture
    ii.     Books and files related to the hewn-timber cabins and available in the James A. Rogers Library
    iii.    Website links assembled and reviewed by academics.
    iv.    Lesson plans covering grades 4 through 12 have been prepared by local educators and we thank them for their involvement.
    v.     Student products - are items submitted by students after their visit to the homes.

d. Information for the Public
For those wishing to visit the cabins or drop by and see them outside of organized tour hours, contact information and further details are provided here.