America’s Oldest Landscaped Garden - Middleton Place

Middleton Place is home to the oldest landscaped garden (laid out in 1741) in America and was home to successive generations of the Middleton family. Henry Middleton acquired the property by his marriage to Mary Williams in 1741. Henry was the second president of the First Continental Congress; son Arthur was signer of the Declaration of Independence; His son Henry went on to be Governor of South Carolina and a minister to Russia; and his son William was a signer of the Ordinance of Succession five years before the Civil War engulfed Middleton Place and brought its golden age to an end. In 1886 an earthquake destroyed the walls of the main house and the north flanker building. The property remained neglected until 1916, when a Middleton descendant, J.J. Pringle Smith inherited the plantation. The death of his father, Henry Augustus Middleton Smith, made funds available to start restoration, and Pringle Smith and his wife moved into the surviving south flanker and lived there from October through April every year for the rest of their lives.

Here is what caught my eye; I hope you enjoy!

This gate leads to the ruins of the original family residence (build in 1705). The house was burned by the Union troop in 1865. The gate marks the center hall of the main house.

A sign tells the Middleton Place story

A posted map shows the entire property

A view of the formal gardens

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This is the burial ground and Family Tomb. Near the tomb is a memorial to Middleton family members who were instrumental in the creation, restoration and preservation of the gardens.

The lawn and the Butterly Lakes

Looking over the formal garden with the Butterfly Lakes and Ashley River in the background

Looking down to the Spring House & Plantation Chapel

The Spring House & Plantation Chapel overlooking Mill Pond

The scenic walking path from the Chapel to the Mill

The Mill was built as a way to grind corn and also as a garden folly.

This building contain the Plantation Chapel (next picture) and the Spring House. It was built in 1741 and fed by spring waters and provided cool storage for dairy products and other foods.

The upper level of the Spring House / Plantation Chapel was added in 1851 and the enslaved community would use it as a chapel.

The house museum just over the hill

The Stableyards were the outdoor work area of a Low Country plantation. Within its confines were various shops for the enslaved to work. The next series of images are of the individual shops for textiles, pottery, and carpentry.

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The animal paddocks

Inside the paddocks

Eliza’s House was built in 1870 and was considered a two-family home for the African American community at Middleton Place after the Civil War.

Inside Eliza’s House

Part of the permanent exhibit inside Eliza’s house called “Beyond the Fields”, which interprets the lives of the thousands of enslaved people who lived and worked at Middleton Place.

This particular exhibit caught my eye. These small metal badges were worn by slaves working in the city. The badges had to be purchased from the City of Charleston. They identified the type of work they were permitted to do. The slave would be hired out by the slave owner. The wages earned by the hired-out would go to the owner and sometimes wages earned in excess of what was owed to the owner could be retained by the slave.

The Carriage House

Inside the Carriage House with late-19th and early 20th century vehicles on display.

The present day house museum was originally built as a south flanker to the main house in 1755. This building was expanded to provide a home for the Middleton family after the Civil War. Self-guided tours of the house are done daily.

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I have toured quite a few plantations and found this one to be one of the better ones.

What you should know:

• Photography inside the house is prohibited.

• Mansion and grounds are self-guided.

• Tickets can be purchased on-line or in-preson. You might want to purchase an Essential Charleston Passport which will get you into this as well as historical Charleston attractions. This can be purchased on-line, and will save you a couple of bucks.

• Restrooms are available.

• There is a sit down restaurant and a cafe on the grounds.

• Admission for the grounds and house tours can be purchased together or separately.

• The property is managed by the Middleton Place Foundation which is connected by family tiles to the Edmondston-Alston house on the Battery.

• You could spend a couple of hours to an entire day exploring here.

• The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

• Check website for days and hours of operation.

Location: 4300 Ashley Road, Charleston, SC 29414

For more information: Middleton Place