- 34 views
Middleton Place is one of the original rice plantations along the Ashley River, established prior to the American Revolution. The Middleton family has included several notable figures in American history, including a President of the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, an ambassador to Imperial Russia, and a signer of the Ordinance of Secession. Today the house and gardens are open to public tours, operated by the Middleton Place Foundation, which also maintains the Edmondston-Alston House. The majority of the main house was burned by Union forces during the Civil War, however the gentleman's quarters survives and is used today as the house museum. There are several outbuildings on the property, including a chapel, rice mill, and stables. The gardens are expansive, ranging from formal designs adjacent the house to more free-form gardens, such as the swamp garden. They are considered to be America's first and among its finest landscaped gardens. A carriage tour is available that will take you to areas not open to regular public access.
I did enjoy the artisan presentations, which included blacksmith, carpenter, and weaver (wool spinning, quilting.) The stable yards are open and include a carriage display. The volunteers were very open to conversation and explanations of their skills.
I was not especially impressed with the gardens at Middleton Place. I found the gardens at the adjacent Magnolia Plantation to provide a superior experience. I concur that I did find the artisan presentations to be the highlight of the attraction.
