Middleton Place

Middleton Place Review

This former plantation is home to America's oldest landscaped gardens, begun in 1741 by Henry Middleton, second president of the First Continental Congress. From camellias to roses, blooms of all seasons form floral allées (alleys) along terraced lawns and around a pair of ornamental lakes that are shaped like butterfly wings. As for the house, a large part of the three-building residential complex was destroyed during the Civil War, but the "flanker" that contained the gentlemen's guest quarters was restored. It now serves as a house museum, displaying impressive silver, furniture, paintings, and historic documents. In the Stableyards, craftspeople use authentic tools to demonstrate spinning, weaving, blacksmithing, and other skills from the plantation era. Heritage-breed farm animals, such as water buffalo and cashmere goats, are housed here, along with peacocks. If all this leaves you feeling peckish, head over to the Middleton Place Restaurant for excellent Lowcountry specialties for lunch and dinner. It has a cozy character and a real sense of history, and is a charming, tranquil spot. You do not have to pay admission to have dinner, and dinner guests can walk the grounds from 5 until dusk. There is also a high-end (but not overpriced) museum gift shop that carries local arts, crafts, and tasteful souvenirs, plus a wonderful garden shop with lunch café. Finally, you can stay overnight at the contemporary Middleton Inn, where floor-to-ceiling windows splendidly frame the Ashley River. Kayaking excursions depart from the inn, and the Middleton Equestrian Center offers trail rides in the surrounding woods.