This plantation, which grew cotton, corn, tobacco, sugar cane among other crops, belonged to a Mr Zephaniah Kingsley - a paradox of a man who was at once a proud slave trader and also the husband of a freed former slave, Anna, starting a family with her. Built in 1798, this plantation is in the middle of a sweeping area of land on Fort George Island, making it the oldest in Florida. The original barn and slave’s quarters are still standing today, representing the typical Floridian homestead at the time, but with a signature touch in design owing to the slaves who toiled to construct it - the semi-circular arrangement of the cabins, reminiscent of African villages. The carefully planned geometrical architecture and many windows were intended to keep the residents cool by allowing the breeze to waft through. The garden features samples of the crops that used to grow there, and offers lovely views of the Fort George River that runs alongside it.

When the USA won Florida from the Spanish in 1821, it did not bode well for the Kingsley family or their slaves, as stricter laws were brought down on them. Mr Kingsley fought hard to protect the rights of his slaves but he was eventually forced to flee the country with his family after his efforts proved futile. His final act of generosity was to give 50 slaves their legal freedom and taking them to the free republic of Haiti.