“The Back Building”: An Architectural History of the Decatur House Slave Quarters 7
This view of the hallway of the second floor of the slave quarters at Aiken-Rhett House looks very similar to the Decatur House except there are more windows, both on the building’s exterior and interior walls. Because there were no windows inside the rooms, more light passing through the corridor meant enslaved people could work in their room during daylight; it also reduced privacy. While the layout of the buildings is remarkably similar, Decatur House has windows and doors on both sides of the building, which suggests that it was originally built as a service wing and later became a slave quarters when occupants brought enslaved people to the property.
- Photographer
- Jeff Costello
- Date of Work
- March 2020
- Medium
- Photograph
- Credit
- Jeff Costello
