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 historic place and museum. You can find it in Gainesville, Florida, in the United States. This old house is located at 8500 SW Archer Rd, near SR 24.
On May 2, 1986, this historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S.. This means it's an important building worth protecting. The Homestead is famous for its "Talking Walls." The Haile family and their friends wrote more than 12,500 words on the walls, starting in the 1850s. No one knows exactly why they did this, but it makes the house very unique!
Contents
The Haile Homestead: A Look at Its Past
How the Haile Family Started Their Farm
In 1854, Thomas Evans Haile and his wife, Esther "Serena" Chesnut Haile, moved to Florida. They came from Camden, South Carolina. They started a large farm in Alachua County, Florida. This farm was about 1,500 acres and grew Sea Island cotton. They named their farm Kanapaha, which means "small thatched houses."
Challenges and Changes on the Farm
The Haile family faced tough times, including financial difficulties in 1868. However, they worked hard to make their property successful again. They started growing many different fruits and vegetables. Oranges were one of the crops they grew.
Later, Evans Haile became the owner of the land. But he chose to live in town instead of at the homestead. Because of this, the house was empty for many decades after 1900.
The Architecture of the Haile Homestead
Building the Historic Haile Homestead
The house is officially called the Historic Haile Homestead at Kanapaha Plantation. It was built in 1856 for Thomas Evans and Serena Chesnut Haile. It was part of their original 1,500-acre (6.1 km2) cotton plantation. The Hailes brought 56 enslaved people with them from South Carolina. These laborers lived in small, one-room wooden houses.
Billy Watts was a very skilled carpenter. He was in charge of 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.
Unique Features of the House
The house stands on four-foot-tall piers made of mortared limerock. These support strong, 100-foot-long beams. The house itself is built from pine wood, with cypress wood used for the outside walls.
The most famous feature is the "Talking Walls." Over 12,500 writings cover the walls. These messages were left by family members and friends, some dating back to the 1850s. It's like a giant guestbook from the past!
Restoring and Visiting the Homestead
In the late 1980s, the Haile family worked with the Alachua Conservation Trust. Their goal was to restore the old house. One big project was replacing the roof with new shake-shingles.
Today, the homestead is a museum that you can visit. It is open for tours on weekends. On Saturdays, you can visit from 10 am to 2 pm. On Sundays, it's open 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 laborers who worked there.
Images for kids
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Haile Homestead
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Another view
