Washboard
Life on the Plantation
This is an antique washboard. During this time, washing of clothes was done by hand. Slaves would have washed their master and his family's clothes and their own by hand and hung the clothes on a clothesline outside to dry.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Metal and wood
Horse Reins
Life on the Plantation
These old horse reigns would have been used on horses. Horses were not only used as farm animals, but they were a mode of transportation. They could have been used to pull a buggy or wagon, or they could have been ridden with or without a saddle.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Reigns
Leather
Slave Household Items
Life on the Plantation
This picture depicts what items you may find in a slave cabin.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Wood stove
Life on the Plantation
Most slave cabins consisted of fireplaces, but some were fortunate to have wood stoves. They could serve multiple purposes; they would heat the one-room cabin, some were flat on top so that cooking could be done on the top. In this picture, an iron was placed on top to heat up and could be used to iron clothes.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Stove
Iron
Dining in the Slave Cabin
Life on the Plantation
Slaves' meals were much simpler and less plentiful than the master of the plantation and his family. Some slaves had the option to tend to their own garden, and some even caught their own meat to provide meals for their families.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Misc.
Wood, misc.
Tools 2
Life on the Plantation
Tools such as these were similar to those on the plantation.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Tools
Wood, metal
Wagon Wheel
Life on the Plantation
Though most production was done by hand, horse-drawn wagons would have been the main type of transportation. The horse and buggy had many uses on the plantation, especially with farming duties.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Wagon Wheel
Wood, metal
Tools
Slavery
The slaves would have used these types of tools. The number one type of production in the South was cotton production, following in second would have been tobacco production.
Underground Railroad Museum
Director Kristina Estle
Tools
Wood and metal