Freedom on The Great Loop: Middleton Plantation

We spent the last two nights of our first leg of our trip at the Inn at the Middleton Plantation which is across the Ashley River west of Charleston and several miles out into the countryside. The Inn was like a rustic lodge with luxury bedding and a fireplace, overlooking the woods and river. Down a path, "over the river and through the woods" (Ok, it was actually over one of many man-made ponds), we found the very interesting plantation grounds, beautiful formal gardens and the guest house/museum (the main house was destroyed in the Civil War), a replica slave quarters, and some farm buildings. All of the buildings (except the slave quarters/shack) were brick.

One of the two guest houses which flanked the main house

The tour of the house was fascinating as it explained the history of the Middleton family who owned many plantations, and were very important politically. Their family included the president of Continental Congress, signer of Declaration of Independence, governor of SC, signer of declaration of secession, diplomat to Russia, artist and archeologist... an accomplished and wealthy family in Colonial America.

We saw an example rice pad where they grew "Carolina Gold" rice; which was actually the reason slaves were imported in early Colonial times... King Cotton came later. Rice eventually became just too labor intensive to produce here and other crops (tobacco, cotton etc) were more profitable.

We also enjoyed talking to the craftsmen who work in the "farmyard" area: a potter and a "cooper" (making a barrel. The best part was just enjoying the lovely gardens where camillias and azalias and magnolias were in bloom (mid March). If time were no issue, this is a place I would come back to: just to see the gardens in different seasons of the year.

Rob is standing on a block used to mount horses. He is in front of the main entrance of the main house (which was destroyed). There were two side "guest houses" next to the main house. Only one of these guest houses is still in existence.

Rob is standing at the place where the "front" of the mansion looked out on the Ashley River. It took much longer to get to the plantation by land than by river, so the house was oriented towards the river

View from a distance looking across the "green" approaching the guest house from the road. At various times during our visit, goats and sheep were grazing on the green.

This was a lovely mill pond constructed "just to be pretty".. the mill building may never have been used as a mill, but was used as a site for ladies luncheons and events. Rob (above) is on the trail between the guest house and this mill pond.

This charming statue was buried in the gardens during the Civil War and then unearthed when the war was over. Many household items that could not be transported in the escape of the family were buried or hidden or loaned to other, less targeted, homes. Records were obviously kept so that the items could be found and reinstalled on the property. Two of the homes (main house and one guest house) were burned by "renegade" Union troops (not Sherman's troops).