Archaeology at the Broadfield Plantation Glynn County, Georgia

During most of the nineteenth century Broadfield Plantation operated as a rice plantation on the Altamaha River, a few miles south of Darien, Georgia. The plantation remained in the same family (the Brailsford, Troups, and Dents) from 1806 until the death of Ms. Ophelia Dent, the last family member residing on the plantation, in 1975. The site then passed into state ownership and became a state historic site under the auspices of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Site Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In 1991 DNR sponsored an archaeological survey at the location of a parking lot next to the Visitor's Center at the site. This work resulted in the location of an antebellum cabin in the parking lot, several features, and the recovery of a large quantity of nineteenth century artifacts. Based on the archaeological work conducted in 1991 an unsolicited proposal was submitted to the Troup-Dent Memorial Fund, which was established at Ms. Dent's death to help care for the site. The Trust funded this research, which had three primary goals: further investigations of the cabin uncovered during the 1991 survey of the old parking lot; the survey of an area identified through nineteenth century maps as the Broadfield Slave Settlement; and a survey to look for the original main house built by the Brailsfords, who established the Broadfield plantation during the first decade of the nineteenth century. All three goals were accomplished through the implementation of a shovel testing program augmented with test units. A 4 x 6 m block was excavated around the chimney base found in the old parking lot during the 1991 survey. Although there were no other clear architectural features identified, a large quantity of artifacts were recovered that helped date the building and identify a wide range of household artifact types associated with it. It is estimated that the building originally was a small antebellum slave cabin that continued to be occupied up until the turn of the twentieth century. Initially, it may have served as servant quarters to the main Broadfield Plantation main house located nearby. The remains of a large building with tabby foundations was identified as the likely ruins of the Broadfield Plantation main house. Test units and shovel tests indicated a large 40 x 40 m area of shell/tabby debris overlying tabby and brick foundations, intact timbers and a well preserved midden. To the southwest of the main plantation house and cabin an area, which was indicated on several nineteenth century maps as the location of an old slave settlement, was surveyed and one test unit was excavated. Within this area, several loci of artifact concentrations were identified. A test unit placed in one of the highest artifact concentration areas revealed a midden of household artifacts along with a high density of brick and nails, although no architectural features were identified. Testing in all three areas indicated well preserved nineteenth century cultural zones.