On a typical eighteenth century plantation, self-sufficiency was promoted by the workers, fuel, water source, sugar works yard and sugar being the main crop, along with the practice of subsistence farming all being on the plantation. Generally speaking, the categories of persons living on the plantation were Negroes and Whites. The Negroes houses were set apart from the estate buildings of he plantation in close proximity to the fields to enable easier access to work. As you enter the gates, there is a long range of negro houses. Their houses were made of wattle, mud or timber. The planter or his attorney in his absence would occupy the Great House. The other whites', overseers, book-keepers, skilled craftsmen and office staff houses were located in close proximity to the Great House, which better enable them to supervise the slaves. In the Great house lived the plantation owner. The sugar works yard was located at the center of the plantation, a considerable walking distance away from the Great house.
sugar estate had factory buildings such as the mill, boiling house and curing house. Around these factory buildings there were other smaller buildings and sheds in which, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpenters, masons, coopers and other artisan slaves worked. The factory buildings were closely positioned so they did not have to travel far to get from one place to another. These buildings were maintained by paid white artisans or skilled slaves on the plantation. There would also be a small "hospital" for sick slaves, and a small "jail" which kept slaves who were being punished. There were storage rooms for tools and supplies and sheds which sheltered livestock or stored cane trash or bagasse which was used as fuel.
Rivers, wells and aqueducts are some examples of water sources used on various plantations. Water was used for three main purposes." The growth of sugar cane and for this purpose was obtained from aqueducts and rivers by irrigation. Second, it was the...