Cypress Gardens (South Carolina) facts for kids

Cypress Gardens is a beautiful nature preserve and garden located in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. It covers about 170 acres. The main part of the garden is an 80-acre swamp filled with bald cypress and tupelo trees. You can explore the swamp by boat or by walking on trails.

History of Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens was once part of a large rice farm called Dean Hall, which started around 1750. This farm used fresh water from the Cooper River. The area that is now a swamp was dug out to create a water storage area for the rice fields.

Later, the property was bought by Benjamin Kittredge. He wanted to use it as a place for duck hunting. During the Great Depression, over 200 workers helped build about 4.5 miles of trails around the swamp. Cypress Gardens first opened to the public in 1932.

In 1963, Benjamin Kittredge's son gave the property to the City of Charleston. However, a big storm called Hurricane Hugo hit the park hard in 1989. It caused so much damage that the park had to close for a whole year. Eventually, Berkeley County took over ownership of the gardens.

In October 2015, South Carolina experienced severe flooding. Cypress Gardens was badly damaged, and officials estimated millions of dollars in repairs were needed. The park closed for a long time. After almost four years, Cypress Gardens finally reopened on April 13, 2019. Over 3,000 people visited on its grand opening day!

What You Can See at Cypress Gardens

You can explore Cypress Gardens by riding in a flat-bottom boat or by walking on the many footpaths. The gardens have different types of plants, including colorful azaleas, blueberries, camellias, and daffodils. You can also see dogwoods, pitcher plants, and a small rice field.

Here are some special places you can visit:

• Swamparium: This building, built in 1998, shows off fish, reptiles, and amphibians that live in swamp habitats. You can see local snakes and large salamanders called sirens. The Swamparium holds about 24,000 gallons of water!
• Aviary: This area is home to African grey parrots and a sulfur-crested cockatoo. These birds used to be pets.
• Butterfly House: Opened in 1997, this indoor exhibit is about 2,500 square feet. It's filled with beautiful butterflies, birds, koi fish, goldfish, and turtles.

The gardens also have picnic tables and about 4.5 miles of walking paths and nature trails for you to enjoy.

Movies and TV Shows Filmed Here

Cypress Gardens has been a filming location for more than 16 major movies and television series. Some famous ones include:

• The Patriot
• Cold Mountain
• The Notebook
• North and South
• Swamp Thing

Images for kids

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  Cypress Gardens

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  Cypress Gardens

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  Cypress Gardens Cypress Knees

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  Cypress Gardens Wildflower Field