Laural Bartlett, MSHP class of 2013 now working as an architectural historian for the CRM firm SEARCH, Inc., presented a paper that summarizes the results of an independent research project at the annual meeting and conference of the Vernacular Architecture Forum in Chicago.
Florida Prison Road Camps: The Architecture of Necessity, Segregation, and Settlement
Laurel Bartlett, MSHP
ABSTRACT:At the turn of the twentieth century most of the Florida interior was still impassable swamp and marshland. The decline of rail transportation, the evolution of the automobile, and the desire for accessibility precipitated the creation of the Florida State Road Department in 1917. Convict labor was used to clear the path for the majority of the roads still in use today, but little is known of the institutional architecture associated with the road construction. This paper examines the Florida Road Camp system and the transition from impermanent to permanent architecture while exploring the understated, and often overlooked, role of imprisoned workers on the transportation infrastructure of Florida.
Known as Road Camps, these moveable penitentiaries were constructed not for rehabilitation but for the benefit of the State of Florida. Many of these camps were built adjacent to the road projects and a large number of these structures fell to demolition because of the impermanency of their construction. Historical records show that the Florida State Road Department used a combination of moveable camps and permanent camps, the architecture of which evolved over time with the changing need of the Road Department. Early camps were a combination of moveable metal cages and tents. As construction progressed the road camps transitioned to more permanent maintenance facilities consisting of frame and masonry vernacular structures. By 1954, there were approximately 30 road camps, including 11 permanent camps. The camps developed into fenced complexes that included guard towers, an infirmary, a mess hall, officer’s quarters, prisoner’s quarters, a sweatbox, and various storage buildings. By the 1950s and 1960s as projects became more complex, construction contracts were given to engineering firms and the convict labor force transitioned into a maintenance role.
Florida Prison Road Camps are a vernacular form of institutional architecture and represent not only the legacy of segregation, but also the role that impermanent institutional architecture played in developing Florida. Today, the remaining road camps are beginning to require more intensive documentation to ensure their long-term preservation. The purpose of this research was to examine historical records to pinpoint the locations of permanent camps, identify the remaining extant structures and their conditions, identify how and where each type of construction was used, and track the progression in the change of architecture. As these resources continue to deteriorate and face demolition, a more comprehensive understanding of the construction of the camps and their historical significance will help transportation engineers develop more appropriate preservation strategies.