The site of a 19th century plantation that's now a nature preserve in northern Mecklenburg County is getting a makeover.
County officials say Latta Place — formerly known as Latta Plantation — will undergo a redesign that places more focus on the people who lived and worked there, especially those who were enslaved.
The $11.2 million redesign will include a new visitor's center and an interpretative trail that loops through the 16-acre site and surrounding nature preserve. The trail will include a "tribute" dedicated to 65 people who were enslaved on the plantation, though that number could grow as historians continue their research.
"Some people see this as a very beautiful space, and others may see it as a place of trauma or hurt or anger," said Bert Lynn, capital planning division director for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. "We hope to create a place for everybody to explore all the aspects of life on this site."
Years-long reenvisioning follows 2021 controversy
The plans were announced at a community meeting Thursday at the North County Regional Library in Huntersville. It follows a yearslong effort to gather input from historians, researchers, residents and descendants of people who lived and worked on the plantation.
The historic homestead was built by James Latta in 1800 as part of a 742-acre plantation, and was previously operated as a circa-1800 living history museum and farm.
The site has been closed since June 2021, when the county ended its contract with the site's previous operator, a third-party nonprofit, after it advertised a Juneteenth event with language that many found offensive.
The event promised to tell stories from "the massa himself" and other "white refugees" and share how they felt about the "downfall of the Confederacy."
The language caused an uproar on social media, drawing swift rebukes from residents and local elected officials. In response, the event's organizer, a Black historical interpreter named Ian Campbell, said he would not apologize for "bringing a unique program to educate the public about former slaves becoming FREE!"
Redesign will tell 'a broader narrative'
One of the major themes to emerge from community input sessions was the desire to "de-center" the main Latta House, according to a presentation shared with audience members on Thursday.
To that end, Lynn said visitors will still be able to tour the house, but it would no longer be furnished, nor exist as the historic site's centerpiece. He said the site would likely still have historic cooking and "ways-of-life" demonstrations, but perhaps not with costumed interpreters.
In addition, the existing visitor's center will be torn down and replaced with a larger visitor's center that includes space for community events and a lobby with exhibitions.
The new interpretative trail will include four themed stops: community, forest, field and river. Each stop will highlight how Native Americans, enslaved people, slaveholders or present-day stewards interacted with each area.
"Part of what we want to do is tell a broader narrative from everybody's perspective on the site," Lynn said.
Some historic buildings will also be relocated, and some replica buildings removed.
The county plans to start construction in late 2025, with a tentative reopening date sometime in 2026.
