Oakland Plantation, Historic plantation in North Carolina, United States
Oakland Plantation is an 18th-century building complex that includes a main house, separate kitchen, dairy, smokehouse, and two distinct cemeteries. The collection of structures demonstrates how specialized buildings were arranged to handle different functions needed to run a large agricultural operation.
The plantation was established in 1780, but its story begins with the name Youghal, taken from an Irish town. This renaming and transformation into a major agricultural operation marks how the property changed over time.
The windows of the main house bear etchings left by past visitors, including a 1773 inscription by a messenger of John Wesley reading 'Exalt we O our God'. These religious marks reveal the spiritual beliefs that shaped daily life on the property.
Start your visit by understanding the layout of the property buildings before exploring each area in order. Pay attention to uneven floors and stairs in the older structures, as they differ from modern standards.
The main house features fireplaces made from a mixture of crushed shell and sand, an unusual material choice for the time. These distinctive fireplaces survive alongside mahogany floors that have lasted since the building's original construction.
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