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Much like you don't go to an Indian reservation and disrespect their culture by making a mockery of their traditional attires/beliefs, Same applies to slavery; Whether you want to believe it or not. Just because "its over" doesn't mean we are "over it", as for OP I wasn't directing my comments at them but rather whoever genuinely thinks its a great idea to be married in a historic site which isn't typically done out of homage or respect but rather entertainment & mockery.
Bottom-line is its disgusting and disrespectful any way you look at it.
I think you're off base here. Well maintained plantations provide a beautiful setting. However, I can see your point.
Probably not a ton of black people looking to get married there.
Btw dark - and off track - I'm reading Taking Flight from war orphan to star ballerina. There's another "industry" that many whites don't want to recognize as discriminatory.
This bothers me. You're not acting on an intrinsic sense of right and wrong or even on your personal taste. You're acting on whatever puts money in the pot, much like the slaveowners who formerly owned the place. Do you think you might have been one of them if you had lived then? You'll donate to an HBCU if it somehow increases profits? Seriously?
The OP is looking at this property as an investment property, not as a personal residence. With an investment property, there IS no more relevant question than “Will this property make money?”
Why not make the restored slave quarter an integral part of the B&B historic experience? Belle Grove Plantation in my previous location (King George County) has done exactly that as part of their tours. Of course, Belle Grove was also occupied by a president, so it has major historic status, but that's beside the point. If you are looking at the property from a hands-on POV, restoring the slave quarter in a sensitive manner could actually be a major point of interest for guests and day visitors.
maybe hire an african-american arch firm that would be historically sensitive in the restoring process. they can make it educational and financially beneficial.
It makes tons of sense. In fact, your reply actually proves my point. Methinks you're just being daft or trying to pot-stir, but I'll play along.
YOU may believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating a wedding at a former plantation, and YOU may believe that anyone that disagrees is a liberal, commie, snowflake always offended and in need of a safe space. Even if we could objectively prove those opinions (opinions, not facts, mind you), it still wouldn't mean people wouldn't hold those opinions that run counter to your own.
All one has to do is Google "should weddings be held on former plantations" to see that there are in fact people who believe it's an insensitive, not-cool thing to do. And that group are the ones who are germane to the OP's dilemma. For the OP's business plan, it doesn't necessarily matter if the opposed groups are "right" or "wrong." What matters is the "optics" that they do exist and, therefore, represent a potential disruption in profit.
The first link on that Google search is an article on how Pinterest and the Knot will no longer advertise/promote plantation wedding content. Anyone that knows anything about the wedding industry will know that to lose those two sites is to lose a huge amount of potential business. That's not necessarily to say OP should or shouldn't move forward, but when embarking on a business plan, it's just smart and common sense to consider any negative optics or ramifications to that plan (even if one doesn't necessarily agree or understand why those optics should be that way).
The problem with sensitivity is where do you rationally draw the line? You're probably living on land that was stolen from Native Americans by our genocidal ancestors. Should you vacate it in order to avoid complicity in that historical crime?
At some point we just have to get on with the business of life without endlessly flagellating ourselves over the sins of the past over which we have no control.
All one has to do is Google "should weddings be held on former plantations" to see that there are in fact people who believe it's an insensitive, not-cool thing to do. And that group are the ones who are germane to the OP's dilemma. For the OP's business plan, it doesn't necessarily matter if the opposed groups are "right" or "wrong." What matters is the "optics" that they do exist and, therefore, represent a potential disruption in profit.
The first link on that Google search is an article on how Pinterest and the Knot will no longer advertise/promote plantation wedding content...
I think that reduces an entire way of life to "They had slaves."
The pyramids were built by slaves. European castles were built by serfs, a fancy word for slave. I'll bet slaves helped build the White House.
Your use of "optics" confused me, so I looked it up. The alternate definition seems to be what you mean: (typically in a political context) the way in which an event or course of action is perceived by the public.. I guess that has supplanted "appearances" .
We recently viewed and fell in love with a property that has the potential to become a bed and breakfast and event space. We have staff lined up and have been looking at investment in this type of venture in a specific market out of state. In reading the disclosures and historical information about the property it is clear that one of the cottages used to be a slave quarter. We had planned to renovate it and turn it into a guest accommodation until we found that out.
Buy it, then invite all your friends and neighbors, invite local TV stations etc., and then hold a formal cottage-burning party. It's a fitting end to a building used for such a despicable function as that.
Buy it, then invite all your friends and neighbors, invite local TV stations etc., and then hold a formal cottage-burning party. It's a fitting end to a building used for such a despicable function as that.
Please refer to OP's post #116. The cottage is registered with the state as a historically significant structure. You don't just burn those down.
Hipsters seem to have no respect for history, I would physically slap someone who would want to have a wedding at a plantation.
I’m not sure what the definition of a hipster is anymore but as far as I can tell they seem to be the ones that are most offended by it.
Take a drive down the coast of NC/SC. Probably every other subdivision is called “something something plantation.” There have definitely been people question using that name including on this forum, but I find it hard to believe more than a couple would have not bought a house in there for that reason. Which I think would be my response to the OP. Sure, there may be some people that won’t want to stay there, but I’d have to think it would be an insignificant number.
Although I’m a bit confused about the conundrum here, is the concern more about the slave quarters specifically, or the place as a whole because there were slaves there? Re: the slave quarters, I do agree that you may not want to use that as somewhere where guests would stay. If that was a major factor in the profitability then obviously that could impact your decision, but to disregard the place as a whole because slaves lived there would be overkill IMO.
I honestly was shocked by that article about theKnot removing plantation venues. People like having weddings there because they are beautiful venues (and from what I’ve seen they command mucho bucks), saying someone having a wedding on a plantation thinks slavery is OK is silly IMO. Heck if anything that should be a testament to the slaves for building such beautiful properties. I mean I know it was alluded to earlier but if people wouldn’t want to stay somewhere that held slaves, then they should never visit places like Charleston, where slaves helped build pretty much the whole city and is often regarded as having some of the most beautiful architecture in the country.
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