I think the visit to the Old Cemetery was important in both connecting the house that Riley lived in to the place where he is now buried and to look at, through a very important part of communal life, the effect race and class relations had on Tallahassee. For one, while it was segregated at one point, it still had spots available for blacks of a certain social status to be laid to rest. I wonder how many higher status African-Americans chose to be buried in the City Cemetery as opposed to a predominately black cemetery?
The Frenchtown Tour was interesting in the fact that its history was explained more through current events rather than talking extensively about its past. The topics of gentrification were very interesting, especially from a historic preservation point of view. However, I think it would have been worthwhile to hear more history on some of the businesses that operated in the neighborhood at one time.
One thing I think could have been shown on the Frenchtown Route were examples of businesses that are still operating in the community. One example of this can be seen in the mortuary service that operates a block away from my house on Copeland Street. One thing I learned when conducting oral history interviews in Charlotte were the importance of funeral homes in black communities. In many cases, they were centers of social interaction and even political power. While the business down the street does not appear to be the site of political activism, yet I think it would have been worthwhile to examine such places.
Goodwood was a very interesting stop. I enjoyed hearing about the different renovations the house undertook and was impressed with certain architectural features. However, I was disappointed by the fact that there was no discussions involving the theme of the tour, that is the history of African-Americans in Tallahassee. Though there was some questions asked about the history of slavery/tenant farming on the property, we were told that they did not possess any information on that. Even more, they seemed to indicate it would be very unlikely to determine this history any time in the future, due to loss of much of the property. This seems to be another example of why there are movements to preserve African-American heritage in Tallahassee as well as elsewhere, as so much of it has been lost.
Despite this, I believe the Goodwood does raise some interesting questions in regards to the first house we looked at, the Riley residence. For instance, if Riley was such a wealthy individual, why build a fairly modest dwelling. In comparison to Goodwood, the Riley house is a relatively cozy structure. Though Goodwood had for the most part been constructed in an even earlier, more affluent time, it would not be . And Riley did not seem to suffer from any land constraints, so why not build a larger structure as his house. Was it his personal preference, a person who did not need to be surrounded by extravagance? Were there some outside factors that influenced his decision? sound business sense, the more land he does not build on the more he could sell to the city?
3 comments:
I thoroughly enjoyed your comments and what you felt was maybe missing from the visit. I thought your point about getting more information on the businesses that used to be in Frenchtown, or the ones that are still there is very relevant. I remember that the relation between the closing down of many businesses and desegregation was mentioned during the visit. That is an issue that could have been talked about more in-depth.
I also felt the same about Goodwood. The restoration work that has been done there truly is great. For instance, the fresco ceilings in the living-room area are amazing. Also all the architectural restoration is very much impressive. I was wondering if some information on the African Americans living on the land and/or working in the house could maybe be found through primary sources, such as personal writings from the owners, or correspondence. It would be really interesting to be able to bring back to the surface a part of the history of the property that is very much invisible right now.
Nick,
I think you make a good point with the Goodwood Museum's lack of information on the history of its servants. Between that and Gus' story of how the Lincoln Academy's mascot and colors were changed and its statues thrown away tells me two things. First, it's testimony to how black history was treated at the time. Secondly, similar to the first, I think it says something is definitely wrong with the preservation of black history perhaps even today. The two points probably go hand-in-hand, but ultimately I wonder what can be done when it is too late? I mean, if a history is lost, it's obviously lost forever and the rest, I suppose, is left to speculation.
Like you, I too enjoyed viewing the homes and businesses in the Frenchtown district of Tallahassee, especially from a historic preservation perspective. Much of what we have learned in class was visible in the residential neighborhoods that we encountered along the route. Our tour guide gave us a brief but accurate account of Frenchtown and its importance to the African American community, yet the opposite can be said for the Goodwood Museum. This makes me wonder where the real emphasis on history lies. Should not a historical museum or institution place far more importance on its history to the community and background before it can begin to make physical renovations to the actual property? What exactly does this tell us about Goodwood’s true mission and purpose as a museum?
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