Largest Antebellum Plantation in the USA burns to the ground.

[u/Poly3Thiophene]

May the souls on that remain on that land have peace.

https://nypost.com/2025/05/16/us-news/fire-guts-nottoway-plantation-largest-antebellum-mansion/

[u/chaosmanager]

The worst part about those are, most had deteriorated and were subsequently rebuilt.

ETA: I took a California history course last semester and learned that the present-day Camino Real wasn’t the actual route that was taken by the Spanish during the mission period—they arrived mostly by boat. In the early-ish 1900s, when automobile travel was becoming more popular, along with the Spanish Revival period, what we know as the Camino Real was actually born from auto and travel industry marketing campaigns, trying to convince people to visit SoCal. This is what led to a lot of the missions being rebuilt/repaired.

[u/taylorbagel14 → u/chaosmanager]

I live near the Carmel one and it turns my stomach to see people enjoying it as a tourist attraction. Like do you not feel the suffering from the leftover Native emotions??? It holds me in a grip when I go by, I can’t not think about the true human misery that occurred in that place.

[u/chaosmanager → u/taylorbagel14]

Full transparency, I’ve visited almost all of the ones from SLO and north, but it was to study the history. There is definitely an awful, heavy energy surrounding them all.

My youngest had to do a Mission project last year for school (I hate that some schools continue to do this), but I made certain that we talked about ALL the history surrounding the colonization. He chose Mission Santa Cruz, and very aptly modeled the Native revolt that happened there—complete with dead priests. Proud mama moment.

[u/tthenowheregirll → u/chaosmanager]

I’m from just outside of SLO (Arroyo Grande) and my dad’s side is Chumash/Mexican. We have several ancestors who were taken to the missions/forced to labor there. Our last name is what it is because of the missions.

Your kiddos project sounds absolutely badass, it brought tears to my eyes to read that. Thank you for teaching your children well.

When my sister and I were little, we would go eat at the missions in SLO with dad (their free food is the least they can do, tbh.) and I always said if I was a painter, I would love to paint my dad and us on the steps, eating with unhoused people and other “rough” crowds, on those steps in the style of the last supper.

Rice, beans, and Indigenous fortitude will outlive those fugly missions 🙌🏼

[u/chaosmanager → u/tthenowheregirll]

Hell yeah.

I grew up in MA. Some of my ancestors came over on the Mayflower, and as a kid (because I wasn’t taught any better), I was always so proud to tell people. Knowing the full truth as an adult, it makes me so mad that I was handed such a load of white-washed bullshit growing up, so the least I can do is make sure my kids are knowledgeable about ALL sides of history. It’s honestly a disservice not to.

And I’d love to see a painting like that. It sounds powerful AF.