archaeological data recovery at ashland belle-helene plantation

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In 1992, Earth Search, Inc., was contracted by Shell Chemical Company to perform archeological data recovery at the site of the former Ashland-Belle Helene Plantation. Excavations for determining the NRHP status of the estate had been previously conducted, but the site had not been systematically investigated. Initially, the entire 100 acres of the plantation was shovel tested at gridded 30 m intervals. The first phase of data recovery involved excavating screened shovel tests at gridded 15 m at the sites of the former quarters and sugar house complexes, which were located within the area of planned construction. In order to maximize locational data, these shovel tests were staggered from the 30 m grid. The purpose of these shovel tests was to provide additional information on the size and the layout of the former sugar house (which had few surficial manifestations) and to select two former cabin sites for extensive hand excavation.

The second phase of data recovery involved the backhoe excavation of the remains of the former sugar house. This was the first time data recovery had been conducted at the site of a Louisiana sugarhouse. Crew for this effort included 12 individuals over a six-week period to monitor the backhoe, to hand excavate individual features, and to draw plans and profiles of the entire structure.

Although only a single buttress and a few brick scatters were visible on the surface, the foundations and the floors of the sugar house were intact. The main structure measured 56 x 14 m, and the attached purgery where the sugar-filled hogsheads were drained was 69 m in length. Three smokestack bases were identified, as were three separate sets of fire boxes. Artifacts consisted primarily of iron hardware and included a variety of machinery parts and tools.

Detailed investigation of nineteenth-century sugar processing technology was undertaken for this project. A synthesis of primary source materials enabled the identification of functional areas and machinery locations within the structure. In addition, careful examination of masonry patterns permitted the pattern of growth of the structure to be ascertained. Interestingly, the archeological and primary source data did not support the popular view of the owner, Duncan Kenner, as the epitome of the progressive sugar planter. Instead, it appears that he made rapid improvements to the sugar house over a relatively short time period, but that he paid scant attention to sugar processing at the Ashland estate after the Civil War. The result of this effort is a far greater understanding of the material aspects of sugar processing and how all the various apparatus were organized within a sugar house.


The third phase of data recovery was excavation at two cabin sites within the quarters complex. The two cabins were selected on the basis of the presence of subsurface architectural features and antebellum materials as seen in the shovel tests. At each of the two sites, intersecting 30 m-long trenches oriented N/S and E/W were excavated.
The trenches intersected at the center (the chimney base) of each cabin site, and they consisted of contiguous 1 x 1 m units. An additional 30 1 x 1 m units were placed at each of the sites. Thus, a total of 178 1 x 1 m units were excavated at the two sites. The field crew consisted of 13 to 18 individuals over a 3 month period.

Extensive research on the development of plantation quarters housing in southern Louisiana was conducted for the quarters data recovery. This is a geographic area that has received little specific attention in current scholarly literature dealing with antebellum plantation conditions and daily life. This research was important in establishing a basis for comparative analysis and interpretation of artifacts and remains associated with the Ashland-Belle Helene Plantation quarters.


Comparison of the collections from the two cabin sites demonstrated that the two assemblages were remarkably similar in terms of relative frequencies of the distributions of artifacts, functional categories, ceramic price index values, vessel forms, and varieties. It appears that Duncan Kenner continued to exert tremendous control over the market access of the plantation residents even after Emancipation through the plantation store.
This included possibly limiting their purchases to higher-priced ceramics, since ceramic index values for the Ashland-Belle Helene collections were higher than those from assemblages from other nearby plantation quarters. In addition, the faunal assemblage from the two cabins were very similar to each other and to the collection from the Beka Plantation quarters, suggesting preferences in both types and cuts of meat that are typical of southeastern Louisiana plantations. Artifacts generally associated with African behavior systems were also collected, including beads, smoothed stones, buttons, and pierced coins. These artifacts were concentrated in the vicinity of the hearths of the cabins, suggesting that this was an important locus of traditional activities.

Finally, archeological monitoring of the construction at the site was also included as part of the data recovery plan. This resulted in the documentation of a variety of industrial structures and outbuildings, including a blacksmith's shop. In addition, 16 additional cabin sites within the quarters complex and the overseers house were documented.

Data recovery efforts at Ashland-Belle Helene are the most comprehensive archeological investigation of plantation quarters and sugar house complexes to date in Louisiana. The results are summarized in a booklet, Beyond the Great House.