Meat House

In 1832, Eleanor Park Custis Lewis recorded that smoked beef was prepared like hams except that molasses replaced sugar and the beef was put in bags. This structure served as a workplace for enslaved people who prepared and stored pork and beef. They slaughtered and butchered in the fall and were responsible for providing enough meat for the gentry family year-round, while smaller portions were allotted for domestic servants and those living in the quarters. After curing, the meat was hung and smoked for several days to add flavor and repel insects, and enslaved workers watched constantly so the fire would neither go out nor burn too high. Meat was stored here throughout the year behind a locked door to prevent theft.

Woodlawn, Virginia · United States