Historic Huston House burned down; Weeping Time Coalition looks ahead
In 1859, the sale of more than 400 enslaved individuals, including children, took place during a torrential downpour a short distance outside downtown Savannah. It is remembered as "the Weeping Time."
But, according to Griffin Lotson, Darien mayor pro tem and seventh-generation Gullah Geechee descendant, the weeping started long before Savannah. Most of the people sold on those early March days in 1859 toiled on the rice and cotton fields of the Butler Island Plantation, where the Huston House stood for nearly 100 years before being destroyed by fire on June 26.
According to a report in The Current, 33-year-old Kyle Gill of Colorado was arrested and charged with "two counts of arson and one count each of destruction of government property, second-degree criminal damage to property, interference with government property, criminal trespass, and theft by taking." Gill also was wanted in Kentucky for failing to register as a sex offender.
Although the house was built by Colonel T.L. Huston in 1927, 60-plus years after slaves were freed, the house is connected and tied all the way to the marrow of the bones, Lotson said.
"The main house, or the big house of the plantation owner, at one time was near that same site, and within walking distance from it was where the slaves had their quarters," Lotson said. "That house is connected to the land and the blood [of the enslaved] flows through that house."
There always were tentative plans floating around about what to do with this piece of history. There were talks of turning it into a museum or welcome center, somewhere that would be an ideal place for tourists to visit. Now, the future is shrouded in uncertainty.
More: A state authority for The Weeping Time approved by state officials. Here is what it will do.
'They just feel something, like the presence of their ancestors'
Lotson was not on Butler Island when the house went up in flames. Instead, he was in Louisiana promoting the island and its ties to Gullah Geechee history. He described learning of the loss like losing a friend. Many of the residents on the island are descendants of those sold during the Weeping Time, and the house is kind of synonymous with the island, according to County Commissioner Bill Collins.
"A lot of them even worked on the property when Col. Houston had it, so they have some real close ties to it," Collins said. "I've even talked to some people that say when they get close to the property, they just feel something, like the presence of their ancestors."
Although the house wasn't permanently in use, Butler Island Day, Juneteenth celebrations and other events were held there throughout the year. Some of the council members and commissioners would even stay in the house for a few days in October.
Lotson, among others, has dedicated himself to the history of Butler Island, expressing that every week, if not every day, bringing that history back to life was in the back of his mind.
"It's really a mystery for what happens next," Lotson said. "Of course, the phones are ringing, everyone's got ideas, and we can't do them all. One thing for sure is that deaths in the family hurt; it shocks us all and life continues. Now, I'm beginning to breathe again, as well as many of us. We'll come up with some plans, but we won't let it die. We'll have a new narrative that this place was here, and now it's gone, but we're not going to quit."
Collins said there are loose plans, as there have always been, for what to do with the house. "I think there have been some calls to the governor's office and senators and representatives. Someone even asked that they declare a disaster area and get state funds to rebuild the house, but everything is kind of up in the air right now."
Weeping Time Coalition holds press conference
During a press conference on Monday, Leonard Small, vice president of the Weeping Time Coalition, said the preservation of the land where the Weeping Time took place in Savannah has become even more vital.
"Someone asked me if I was sad about the plantation being burned down, if it bothered me. It was a symbol of what happened to Black folks," Small said. "Yes, it bothers me... We just lost, at an arsonist's hand, a treasure that cannot be replaced. Yes, it was a symbol of degradation, but we need to continually be reminded of what we ought not to do."
In April, Georgia legislators unanimously passed a bill set to increase education and awareness of the historic slave auction. This created the Weeping Time Cultural Heritage Corridor Authority, comprising the Augusta Avenue corridor and the Woodville and Hudson Hills neighborhoods. The coalition is currently nominating and vetting people to serve on the authority.
Additionally, the coalition provided updates to the ongoing case against the City of Savannah, the Housing Authority of Savannah and the Salvation Army regarding a piece of property where the Salvation Army wants to build a homeless shelter. The coalition believes the land is sacred due to its proximity to the location where the slave auction took place, and in August, a judge finally will hear arguments after two and a half years.
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Historic Huston House burned down; Weeping Time Coalition looks ahead
