Daniel Prince
Blacksmithing, cooking, and brickmaking demonstrations among the activities planned
If you are looking for upcoming weekend family activities, a couple of area state parks may can help. Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site, located at 2677 Sardis Road, will present “Forging a Life: The Journey from Slavery to Freedom at Rose Hill Plantation”. The event will be held Saturday, October 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The program will explore the African American historical experience at Rose Hill Plantation. Prior to the Civil War, hundreds of people were enslaved at the cotton plantation. Following emancipation, some left Rose Hill but others stayed, becoming tenant farmers. Whether slave or free, African Americans worked hard to forge a life for themselves and their families at Rose Hill Plantation.
The program will be ongoing from 11-4, so visitors can arrive at any time. Interactive activities will include blacksmithing, cooking, and brick-making demonstrations. The first floor of the mansion will be open for self-guided tours, and there will be a ranger-led walk to visit the remains of a 19th-century tenant farmer home during the event. Dontavius Williams, as “Adam”, will present a first-person historical interpretation of an enslaved individual, in a presentation called “The Chronicles of Adam.” A food truck will be on site offering several lunch options for sale throughout the day but will only take cash.
Admission to the park and program that day will be $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 6-15. Cash is preferred. For more information, call the park at 427-5966, or email rosehill@scprt.com.