Plantations were the economic and social lifeblood of the antebellum South. Plantation life was marked by gracious living, Southern hospitality, and opulence and vast lucrative crops. This lifestyle was only sustainable through the work of hundreds of slaves, however; after slavery was abolished in 1865, plantations often fell victim to neglect and a lack of labor. The five major plantations remaining in the Charleston area have survived as living history museums and serve to educate the public about the rich history of plantation life.
Two of Charleston's plantations, Drayton Hall (draytonhall.com) and Middleton Place, are registered National Historic Landmarks. Drayton Hall, built in 1738, is in near-original condition, and is recognized for its focus on historic preservation. The main house is one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States. Middleton Place, on the other hand, was burned to the ground by Union troops in 1865; only one original building remains and it is currently a museum. Magnolia Plantation still boasts the original main house, which was built before the Revolutionary War in Summerville, South Carolina and floated downriver on barges.
Magnolia and Middleton have superb European-style gardens; the first has the oldest public gardens in the country. Charleston Tea Plantation (charlestonteaplantation.com) is the only tea farm in the United States, with extensive outdoor and indoor exhibits on the history of tea and the actual processing and production of tea for the American market. Boone Hall is one of the country's oldest working plantations, having grown and produced crops since 1690; corn and cotton dominated in the early decades, with present-day crops primarily fruits and vegetables. It is widely known for its spectacular entrance -- the 'Avenue of Oaks' from the entry gate up the long drive to the main house -- which has made it the most photographed plantation in the country.
All of these plantations were heavily dependent on sizable slave populations to keep them productive in their prime, and all now include aspects of slave life in their current exhibits. Boone Hall's exhibit, 'Black History in America,' offers life-size figures, recorded narratives, audio-visual presentations, pictures and other artifacts grouped in nine original slave cabins, providing visitors with a comprehensive view of the life of plantation slaves. Middleton Place also displays aspects of slave life, including active weavers, coopers, carpenters and blacksmiths demonstrating the traditional skills of artisan slaves. It also boasts one of the few remaining plantation stableyards, where slaves cared for the owners' prized horses.
