The Quarters
Discovering Madison
"The Negro habitations are separate from the dwelling house both here and all over Virginia, and they form a kind of village."
- Journal of Sir Augustus John Foster, 1807
The Quarters, a cluster of wooden buildings segregated from the main house, provided shelter for some of Montpelier's enslaved community. Accommodating both individuals and families, they were located near the workplace to assure efficient production. Within the harsh realities of slavery, the quarters became a kind of village where people developed strategies for coping with their living and working conditions, adapted to their master's requirements, and preserved their African heritage. The quarters also became an important crucible for emerging African American cultural traditions.
Marker is on Montpelier Road, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
