Living Jackson Magazine

Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm

Preservation and Education are just two of the many benefits of this "living Museum" in Jackson County

Story and photographs
by Joshua T. Barnett

Plowing fields and picking cotton appear to be remnants of the past, but at Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm the past seems to be the gateway to the future.

Established in 1802 by Joseph Shields and his family, the farm has been passed down many family rungs throughout its 205-year history, and acres upon acres of land have been tacked onto the original 294 comprising the farm. Over the years, family members added new buildings as they were needed, and what you see today as you drive by the farm on Ethridge Road just outside of Jefferson is the evolution of a family farm spanning more than eight
generations.

Sixty-five historic buildings and resources make up the farm complex. A commissary, blacksmith shop, cotton gin, milking barn, water tower, grist mill and other structures constitute the 152 acres governed by the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving these buildings; the remaining 350 acres of farmland are still used for agricultural purposes. In 1992, the entire farm was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.

Today, Darrell and Susan Chaisson, the daughter of Lanis and Joyce Ethridge, own and operate the farm. They also continue the legacy Susan’s mother, Joyce Ethridge, left for the farm. Joyce pushed the farm into its current existence and was instrumental in getting the farm to be recognized as a historic district.

Of course, with such a large and laborious task, the Chaissons are assisted by a board of directors which includes members of the Ethridge family and others with a vested interest in the farm. The Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation was formed in 1994. This nonprofit’s goal is to provide and operate an educational and interpretative outdoor museum that uses historic preservation to increase an awareness and understanding of Georgia’s agricultural and natural history.

“All of the board members have been involved in either preservation or education,” said Susan Chaisson. This makes the group especially qualified to make decisions regarding what many call a “living museum.”

Amanda Stephens and Elise Embrick teach a student to plow.

The farm has received many esteemed awards and has been featured in several publications. In 1994, the farm received a Georgia Centennial Heritage Farm Award for its exceptional historic value. The farm also received two Georgia Heritage 2000 Grants: one for work on Bachelor’s Academy, the schoolhouse, and one to preserve Preacher Riley’s House, the complex’s future visitor center. David King Gleason featured the farm’s main residence in his book Antebellum Homes of Georgia. So did Caroline Seeborn in her book Under Live Oaks: The Last Great Homes of the Old South. Of late, Portraits of a Southern Place, produced by the Jackson County Historical Society and edited by Tina Harris, featured the farm.

Recently, the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation and Jackson County Comprehensive High School received a Save Our History grant from The History Channel. The $5,450 grant is being used primarily by students, identified as “Farm Fellows,” and teachers at JCCHS to fund various projects in order to help preserve the rich agricultural history of Jackson County. Dr. RexWallace and Patsy Wallace are spearheading the high school’s involvement in the event.

The Farm Fellows created an introductory video to be shown to the community, prepared two interpretive panel displays for the future visitor center, created a diorama and timeline that will be permanently displayed at the high school and made an interpretive display based on their research of the farm. Through these and future projects, students will not only learn about their roots but also help preserve the history of cotton farming and farm life in Jackson County over the past 200 years.

The Farm Fellows’ major project this year was to host a fieldtrip for all third graders in Jackson County. The event was held March 22-23 on the grounds of the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm, and more than 700 pupils attended.

“We’re here to teach the next generation about their ancestors,” said Cathy Martinez, a junior in Alan Kennedy’s Advanced Placement American History class. Martinez was among the dozens of high school students who donated their time to help with the fieldtrip.

Farm Fellows took the youngsters on a tour of the farm, and one group even held a mock class in Bachelor’s Academy. Some high school students showed how crops would have been grown.

“We are teaching them about planting and plowing,” said Elise Embrick, a junior at JCCHS. Amanda Stephens, another junior, added, “We also taught them about the pesticides used back in the day.” In addition, the students were exposed to the harsh reality of the boll weevil and its effects on the cotton industry.

The students aren’t the only ones in on the action—teachers have also played an integral role in the project. History teachers Alan Kennedy, Pam Evans and Jerry Rice are teaching students about the cotton market and its importance to the nation’s history. Martha Babb and Jane Kinney helped the students memorize scripts. Ninth grade English teacher Tammy Barnett has proofed scripts. Dewey Johnson, Robbie Buchanan and Shannon Lawrence built a 3-D diorama that will permanently be displayed at JCCHS. Dana Richier’s video journalism classes are producing a video that covers the March events. Renee Chandler’s web site design students are working on a new website for the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm. Many other educators are involved and are pulling in the talents of their diverse array of students.

Yes, it may seem that plowing fields and picking cotton are outdated, but at Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm the love of agriculture and a rural lifestyle have not been lost.