I took my kids to the Gamble Plantation years ago. I though the trip would give them a closer understanding of the Civil War and in general, life in Florida in Antebellum times.

I had the opportunity to go back this week, but despite all the renovations, I think there was less to see than the first time we went. They made a real point of not mentioning anything really about the workers on the plantation who were slaves. I guess it's not politically correct to do so these days. The first trip we made was very informative about the lifestyle of the owners and the slaves. What surprised me was that unless slaves had particular household duties such as making and serving dinner, they all went home at 2pm. They tended their gardens and small livestock and were quite self sufficient.

It was a sugar cane plantation from the end of the Second Seminole War in 1842, until he sold it in 1856 due to falling sugar prices and crop losses.

I think the most interesting thing was that Confederate Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin sheltered in the mansion for several days while waiting for a ship to take him to England. Since the north put a big bounty on the head of all confederate leaders and ultimately killed them, he was happy to be able to stay at the Gamble Plantation because from the upstairs he had a clear view of the river and could easily see enemy gunboats long before they could know he was there. He soon arranged for transport to England and travelled as "Mr. Howard".




This is a picture of the front of the mansion.


I thought this was quite interesting. This is the cistern that provided water for the farm. Rain water was collected in this tabby brick holding tank (made from burnt oyster shells which supplied limerock which is a great purifier of water). The big problem was mosquitoes getting in there and leaving their larvae lying about, so they put minnows in to eat the larvae. When the bucket was brought up, any minnows were tossed back into the cistern and the water was then used for drinking.