Buena Vista Plantation Slave Cabin Interpretive Plan
Center for Public History, University of West Georgia

The spring of 2004 Introduction to Museum Studies class verified the authenticity of and developed an interpretive plan for, a slave cabin recently donated to the Coweta County African American Alliance and Heritage Museum by Newnan residents Michael and Leah Sumner, the current owners of Buena Vista, an antebellum historic home.

In addition to extensive literature research, the students contacted historic sites throughout the south for assistance. Using the advice of the staff at these sites, Vlach’s Back of the Big House, and their own site inspection, the students verified the structure’s authenticity as much as is possible without an extensive archaeological undertaking. For the development and writing of the interpretive plan, the students followed the most recent IDP guidelines used by the National Park Service.

The class instructor, Dr. Rebecca Bailey and the Sumners are hoping to undertake an archaeological survey of the cabin’s original foundation in the near future.

For more on the Buena Vista slave cabin as well as African-American History and Heritage in Coweta County, please contact the Coweta County African American Alliance History Museum at (770) 683-7055.

For more information on the Buena Vista Plantation Slave Cabin project, please contact project director Dr. Rebecca Bailey by phone at 678-839-6141 or at the address below.

Center for Public History, History Department, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118

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