You are standing in front of a graphic panel titled “House History: Fireplace.” To your left is the fireplace and a graphic panel titled “House History: 1735 House.” To your right is a graphic panel titled “House History: Stairway.” Behind you is a large, four-sided artifact case.

The panel in front of you includes text and two images.

The main text reads:

HOUSE HISTORY
Fireplace

What was this fireplace used for?
Large walk-in fireplaces like this were common in homes of this kind. Enslaved people used the fireplace to cook meals and heat the house. At the time, firewood was plentiful from clearing trees to plant tobacco.

In addition to this fireplace, the Sellmans had a summer kitchen in a separate structure nearby. This avoided heating the house while cooking during the warmest months.

A black-and-white illustration shows a woman wearing an apron standing in a kitchen. The caption reads: An illustration of an African American cook, from Harper’s Weekly, 1856. Enslaved people introduced food traditions from different regions of Africa to American cuisine.

A photo at the bottom of the panel is headlined “House History Clues.” The caption reads: While rehabilitating the house, staff uncovered the original “manteltree,” or wooden beam, behind a smaller fireplace that had been added later.