Haile Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kanapaha
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Historic marker near Kanapaha Plantation house
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
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| NRHP reference No. | 86000915 |
| Added to NRHP | May 2, 1986 |
The Historic Haile Homestead, also known as Haile Plantation House or Kanapaha, is a special old house and museum in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It's located at 8500 SW Archer Rd., near SR 24. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the United States on May 2, 1986.
The Homestead is famous for its "Talking Walls." For a reason no one remembers, the Haile family and their friends wrote over 12,500 words on the walls. These writings date all the way back to the 1850s!
Contents
History of the Haile Homestead
Founding the Kanapaha Plantation
In 1854, Thomas Evans Haile and his wife, Esther "Serena" Chesnut Haile, moved to Alachua County, Florida from Camden, South Carolina. They started a large farm called Kanapaha. This name means "small thatched houses." Their farm was about 1,500 acres and grew a special type of cotton called Sea Island cotton.
Life After the Civil War
The Haile family faced tough times, including going through bankruptcy in 1868. But they worked hard to make their property a successful farm again. They grew many different fruits and vegetables, including oranges.
Later, Evans Haile became the owner of the land. However, he lived in town. After 1900, the house was empty for many decades.
Architecture and Unique Features
Building the Historic Haile Homestead
The house, officially called the Historic Haile Homestead at Kanapaha Plantation, was built in 1856. It was made for Thomas Evans and Serena Chesnut Haile. They brought many enslaved laborers from South Carolina who helped build the house and work on the farm. These laborers lived in small, one-room wooden houses.
Billy Watts was a very skilled carpenter. He helped supervise most of the house's construction. Henry Gaines, a stonemason, built the fireplaces, chimneys, and support piers. Johnson Chestnut was also a talented carpenter and made furniture.
How the House Was Built
The house stands on four-foot-tall piers made of stone and mortar. These piers support long beams, some as long as 100 feet. The house itself is built from pine wood, with cypress wood used for the outside walls.
The Famous Talking Walls
The most special thing about the house is its "Talking Walls." Over 12,500 words are written on the walls by family members and friends. These writings date back to the 1850s and tell stories from the past.
Restoration and Visiting the Museum
In the late 1980s, the Haile family worked with the Alachua Conservation Trust. Together, they began to restore the house. One big project was replacing the roof with new wooden shingles.
Today, the house is a museum open for tours on weekends. You can visit on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm, and on Sundays from 12 pm to 4 pm. In 2017, the Allen & Ethel Graham Visitors Center and Museum opened. This center provides more information about the Haile family and the enslaved people who worked there.
Images for kids
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Haile Homestead
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Another view
