Fallen Homes of the Civil War

Lives were not all that was lost during the Civil War. Many of the South’s grand antebellum homes that weren’t burned by Union troops were left to fall into decay. But Nell Dickerson’s new book, Gone: A Photographic Plea for Preservation, manages to capture some of these culturally important structures—and the history held in their eaves.

Dickerson’s haunting photos depict trees growing through grand parlors, crumbling mantles, and ghostly columns standing silent. The images are accompanied by Shelby Foote’s “Pillar of Fire” (a fictional account of Union troops burning down a family home in front of its owners), and an introduction by best-selling author Robert Hicks. The book ends with a plea from Dickerson: “Do whatever it takes to keep the stories alive. Our personal history is part of our national history, and we should pass it to our children with great reverence, because it is not just who we were, but who we are.”

To view a slideshow of Dickerson’s images from the book, click here.