Middleton Place, Charleston, South Carolina - Visit by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Middleton Place outside of Charleston, South Carolina, is a magical place.  When we lived there, I had a family membership and could go any time I wished.  Now, living in Virginia, I only get to go if we are visiting Charleston, which may be every few years.  Recently we got to visit during their special colonial days event.  Talk about providential timing for our trip to Charleston!

It was a pretty busy weekend day when we arrived in November.  The parking lots were much bigger than I remember. There is also a greenhouse on the property now.  We got several nice pictures on the steps of the ruins of the old main house.  This structure fell after an earthquake hit Charleston, after the Civil War.  One of the guest buildings still stands and is used for tours.  

I will admit I was quite disappointed with the tour.  The charge was steep, the crowd was large, and with my difficulty walking I was the last person in each room, couldn’t hear the speaker, and was rushed on to the next section.  However, since the displays hadn’t changed much in the past decade or so, I was reasonably familiar with much of what was in the house.  Given that it was a very busy weekend, however, I probably shouldn't be surprised at how packed the tour was.

Isn't this a lovely bench?  It is located on the side of the house.  

At the side of the property are Middleton's famed Butterfly lakes.  Several movies have been filmed at Middleton, including "The Patriot" scene where Cornwallis is shown occupying Middleton.

The Middleton Place staff and volunteers out at the farm were attentive and took their time explaining different common daytime tasks on a plantation and crafts.  I was delighted to be taken under the wing of one of the staff member’s spouses and he introduced me to many people working in the various crafts. 

One occupation at Middleton was barrel making.  These barrels were used to ship goods up the river and out from Charleston. Note the detailing which is from local wood.

Indigo dying was also displayed the day we were there.

The type of cotton grown during colonial times had black seeds that had to be removed from the cotton. The reenactor who demonstrated, patiently explained to the children (including mine) how this process worked.

Middleton Place Reenactor

Question:  Do you have a favorite historical place you love to visit?  Has it changed over time?  What keeps you going back?