Fall/Winter 2025 Newsletter

Mysterious Slave Cemetery Restoration Work 

Work on the slave cemetery is expected to begin this month. Your contributions will help restore what’s been forgotten for so many decades. The cemetery that was once kept secret is located about one mile east of Sharwood Plantation. The property belonged to a neighbor and was gifted to Fred Miller. It’s hidden in the middle of a wooded area just off Riceville Road in Gretna.

The stone markings clearly identify each counted grave. There are no headstones with names and birth and death years that you may be used to seeing at a cemetery. Instead, two stones serve as a marker, one at the head and another one at the foot, to signify a burial spot for each slave. There are some old horseshoes on some of the graves as well. We have come to learn that horseshoes may have been placed to symbolize luck, good fortune, or a way to ward off evil spirits from the dead.

We don’t know their names, nor do we know the circumstances surrounding their passing. But we are eager to learn as much as we can from the restoration work. We invite you to be a huge part in preserving the historic graveyard and honoring our slave ancestors by your generosity. Fred, who has a heart of gold, is truly determined to protect this piece of American history. 

If you want to join his efforts financially, please click here to support our campaign. We appreciate every sacrifice that you make to help maintain the final resting spot for Sharswood slaves.

Planning Underway for the 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Juneteenth 2026 - We’re planning the festivities for the next celebration. Hundreds of visitors, family, and friends attended our 4th annual celebration, and we hope to welcome many more to the Sharswood Manor Estate.

The festivities will include history presentations, tours of the former plantation, and a live band, along with food and merchandise from local vendors and food trucks. 

The owner of Sharswood, Fred Miller, purchased the Riceville Road property back in 2020 for family functions in Gretna, VA. His sister, Karen Dixon Rexroth, with the help of a Danville genealogist, later discovered their ancestors were enslaved on the grounds. Historic census records show Fred’s great-grandmother, Sarah Miller, was born in 1868 and lived on the plantation.

The Juneteenth holiday honors Black history and commemorates the end of slavery in America, specifically in Galveston Bay, Texas. Juneteenth was officially declared a federally recognized holiday in the U.S. back in 2021. Both the Senate and House of Representatives passed the bill to make it a public holiday before it was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden.

Our family is a big part of the planning for Juneteenth. Karen has a tent for her delicious cakes, Tonya brings her pies and lemonade, and of course we can’t forget about the fish that brings out long lines for Steve.

It takes about a year to get ready to plan the logistics. From clearing debris from the property to signing up vendors, we are proud to offer a space for Americans who are inspired by Black history to come together.

We plan to keep you informed about the date and preparations for the big day through our website and social media pages. We hope to see you then!

​Open House Set for December 2025

You can sign up for tours that will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, between 1 pm and 4 pm. Please email [email protected] with all the names in your group as well as the best number to reach you.