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As many as ninety-four slaves lived at Poplar Forest during Jefferson’s time and at least ninety-five slaves were owned by the later Cobbs/Hutter families.  Letters and other documents provide glimpses into the lives of the enslaved workers.  However, their home sites went unrecorded and few details were written about their personal lives.  Archaeologists play an invaluable role in uncovering materials related to the lives of these individuals that would otherwise remain hidden. 

So far, archaeologists have located the remains of three slave quarters at Poplar Forest.  The North Hill Site dates to the 1770s or 1780s; the Quarter Site from 1790-1812; and Site A existed from the 1830s to emancipation.  Click on the links below to learn more.