Middleton Place

We wanted to visit an ante bellum garden and house. Middleton Place House is all that remains of the grand three-building residence that was the home of the distinguished Middleton family. The main house that consisted of three buildings  and dates from the early 1700s was burned by the Yankees (Union Army - possibly the Sherman army). Henry Middleton was a wealthy owner of many rice growing, slave labored properties. He married  Mary Williams who acquired the land as a dowry.

They developed the gardens first - gardens that have many old trees and plants - oak, fir, camellia etc. There was an excellent guide for the gardens who was a botanist.

Henry Middleton served as President of the First Continental Congress. His son Arthur signed the Declaration of Independance as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. The second Henry Middleton served as a Governor and Congressman from South Carolina. This Henry’s son became a signer of South Carolina’s Ordinance of Secession. Their portraits are in the remaining house as is much of their furniture and other historical pieces. Some pieces - like china and jewelry were collected in Europe. There is a full-length portrait by George Dawe of Tsar NIcholas I. Henry Middleton attended his coronation in August 1826.