Gilmore Farm - a Freedman's Home

Join the Bobblehead George crew for a look at the Gilmore Farm, the only preserved and interpreted freedman’s home in the United States. As a site built during Reconstruction, Gilmore Cabin serves to teach the public about the legacies of slavery in America including political status, land ownership, and economic production.
George Gilmore, born into slavery at Montpelier around 1810, was emancipated when the Union army occupied Orange County in 1865. Soon after, George, his wife, Polly, and their three children secured land from Dr. James Madison (the grandson of James Madison’s brother) and built a small house from the remnants of Confederate officer huts and established this farm.
By 1873, the Gilmores had saved enough to build the larger cabin that stands today. George Gilmore gained full title to this land in 1910…four years before his death. By 1910, George and Polly’s son William occupied the farm with his family. Three generations of Gilmores lived on this farm prior to its sale in 1920.
For freedmen, land ownership helped secure, not just sustenance, but also a community, independence, and stability.
The Gilmore Cabin opened to the public in 2005 and stands as the only preserved and interpreted freedman’s home in the United States.

0:01 - Welcome to the Gilmore Farm which is part of James Madison's Montpelier!
0:09 - George and Polly Gilmore
0:33 - The Gilmore Farm
0:55 - What does an 1880 agricultural census tell us about the farm?
1:28 - The only preserved and interpreted freedman’s home in the United States
1:45 - Bobblehead George Logo

Bobblehead George is a non-profit organization, based in Manchester, Pennsylvania, that is dedicated to creating and providing unique, accurate, and entertaining educational content to life-long learners of ALL ages. Our organization was started by public school teachers, David Raymond, Eric Gimbi, and Mike Graham. Dave, Eric, and Mike are incredibly passionate about teaching and education.
Our mission is to share that love of learning within our community, across the nation, and around the globe! Bobblehead George provides a unique opportunity to reach students beyond the traditional classroom walls by providing virtual field trips that are fun, informative, & engaging.
To help ensure that our mission is successful, we rely on donations from kind people like you. Consider making your donation a tribute to an educator who made a difference in YOUR life.

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[Dodge-csgb]

That was a fun and rewarding video to shoot.

[rosescott]

Excellent video. I like that they built it from the remnants of old confederate huts. I am an architecture nut as well as a history (over) enthusiast, so I would have loved the see more up close still shots of the home and interior. I would have been inspecting every joint and beam in that lovely apparently well constructed hand made home. Love it, and love you guys!