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Sotterley’s Buildings

History

Sotterley has well restored and maintained buildings to visit:

Building: Manor House

The oldest parts of the manor house date back to 1703 and renovations and additions to the structure continued to be made over the centuries including the additions of Colonial Revival elements that Herbert Satterlee required to be made for the house to fit his vision. The downstairs of the house is open for guided tours from early May-to the end of October. The tours of the manor house include stories of not only the landowners but also the lives of the domestic enslaved and servants.

Building: Slave Cabin/ Dwelling

Built in the 1830s, the small structure serves as a powerful reminder as to the reality of the history that took place at Sotterley and other plantations. 10-20 people slept and ate in this cabin. It provides a stark contrast to the furniture and collections pieces on display in the manor house.  Located inside the slave cabin is an impactful exhibit dedicated to the memory of Sotterley descendant and researcher, Agnes Kane Callum, who shared her family history and her research with the museum starting in the 1970s. The signage in this exhibit is based on the oral histories passed down over generations regarding the lives of her ancestors, the Kane/Cane/Cain family. Small wooden discs can be found throughout the exhibit indicating different elements about the lives of the enslaved-from the preservation of culture/identity, to forms of resistance, and perseverance.

Planning Your Visit

County: St. Mary's County
Themes: African American People and Culture, Civic Ideas and Action, Rural Life in Southern Maryland
Timeframes: 1607 – 1763 Colonization, 1763 – 1783 The Revolutionary Era, 1783 – 1800 Founding a New Nation, 1800 – 1828 The Early Nationalist Period, 1828 – 1860 Antebellum America, 1860 – 1877 The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1877 – 1896 The Gilded Age, 1896 – 1916 The Progressive Era, 1917 – 1929 WWI and the Roaring Twenties, 1929 – 1940 The Great Depression
Audience: College, General Public, High School, Middle School, Teacher

Details

Type of Entry: Individual Resource
County: St. Mary's County
Themes: African American People and Culture, Civic Ideas and Action, Rural Life in Southern Maryland
Timeframes: 1607 – 1763 Colonization, 1763 – 1783 The Revolutionary Era, 1783 – 1800 Founding a New Nation, 1800 – 1828 The Early Nationalist Period, 1828 – 1860 Antebellum America, 1860 – 1877 The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1877 – 1896 The Gilded Age, 1896 – 1916 The Progressive Era, 1917 – 1929 WWI and the Roaring Twenties, 1929 – 1940 The Great Depression
Audience: College, General Public, High School, Middle School, Teacher

Join us to discover a hidden chapter in history.