Farms or Plantations? MoCoLMP’s Mapping Project Responds

Poolesville farm. Photo by Neile Whitney

MoCoLMP welcomes Knight Kiplinger’s support of and response to our Mapping Project. We hope that readers will enjoy learning about some of Montgomery County’s history, and the thoughtful discussion of terminology used in our project. The way in which we use language is important, and requires continued discussion and at times, revision. 

As we began our research, almost two years ago, we decided to name the enslaver locations we were searching for “plantations.” When most people hear the word “plantation,” they think of slavery. They also think of the South, vs. the North. Although a part of a border state during the Civil War, many citizens of Montgomery County, especially in the western part of the county, supported the Confederacy. We also felt that when most people hear the word “farm” they think of rolling, green pastures, fields of corn, or contented, grazing cows, rather than places of enforced labor.

A Google search of the two terms shows that, by 1860, Montgomery County farming properties met neither the traditional definition of farm, nor of plantation. They were smaller than many farmed properties in the Deep South, but still worked by enslaved persons. As our research focus is on slavery, we started by using the term “plantation.” 

Seneca Quarry, Poolesville, MD. Photo by Neile Whitney

At this point in our research, having noted how many enslaved persons would have worked at local flour mills, stone quarries, taverns, and other businesses, we agree with Tony Cohen and Knight Kiplinger’s suggestion that “sites of enslavement” (SOE) is a more accurate term for all locations worked by enslaved people. We’ll be using it as an overall term, although we will only show on our map the properties where their enslavers lived, as research into all the places where enslaved people worked in the county would involve more resources than we have at this point. As noted by Tony, “Anywhere you are in Montgomery County was touched by slavery.”

Read Knight Kiplinger's article, "Farms or Plantations?" here.

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1 An application for historic registry approval for the Comus Inn in Boyds notes:

In 1860, 25 per cent of the farms in Montgomery County contained between 50 and 99 acres, while 50 per cent of the farms contained between 100 and 499 acres. By 1870, 57 per cent of farms in Montgomery County contained between 100 and 499 acres, while the number of farms containing between 50 and 99 acres remained approximately at 25 per cent. (National Register of Historic Places (Dept. of the Interior), Section 8, page 2)