In 1865, one hundred thirty-six enslaved men, women, and children at Belle Meade Farm gained their freedom and the right to choose where they would live and work. Seventy-two farm workers continued under the employ of General Will Giles Harding, with four families continuing to live on the grounds and many others commuting to work each day from various neighborhoods around Nashville. The living quarters shown in the photograph were home to both enslaved families and later freedmen who continued to work on the Belle Meade farm. Many of these families occupied the structures until the mid 20th century. In the 1970s, the last remaining building was dismantled and moved to make way for new development. Through generous donations, Belle Meade Plantation acquired this half acre of land in October 2001, preserving part of a history nearly lost to development, and continuing efforts and archeology seek to reveal more about the material culture and lives of the families who lived here in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
