Middleton Place facts for kids
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Middleton Place
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The house museum, initially a guest wing
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Summerville, South Carolina - Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Area | 110 acres (45 ha) |
| Built | c.1738—1755 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000770 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1971 |
| Designated NHLD | November 11, 1971 |
Middleton Place is a historic estate located in Dorchester County, South Carolina, near Charleston, South Carolina. It sits by the beautiful Ashley River. This special place was once home to the Middleton family for many years. They were important people in South Carolina's early history. Today, Middleton Place is a museum. It also has the oldest landscaped gardens in the entire United States!
The story of Middleton Place began in the 1730s. A man named John Williams started building it. Later, his son-in-law, Henry Middleton, took over. Henry was a very important leader. He even served as President of the First Continental Congress. He finished building the main house and started the amazing gardens. His son, Arthur Middleton, was born here. Arthur was one of America's Founding Fathers and signed the United States Declaration of Independence. Later, other family members, also named Henry and Williams Middleton, turned the estate into a busy rice farm.
Sadly, during the American Civil War in 1865, soldiers burned most of the main house. An earthquake in 1886 caused even more damage. Years later, in 1916, a family member named John Julius Pringle Smith and his wife, Heningham, started restoring the gardens. They worked for many years to bring them back to life. They also built new stable buildings using bricks from the old ruined house. In the 1970s, Middleton Place became a National Historic Landmark. The Middleton family then created the Middleton Place Foundation. This group now takes care of the site, making sure everyone can visit and learn about its history.
Contents
Exploring Middleton Place: Location and Surroundings
Middleton Place is found on the southwest bank of the Ashley River. The river flows south here, then turns east towards Charleston Harbor. This harbor is about 15 miles (24 km) away. A small creek flows into the Ashley River at this bend. This creek was dammed to create the plantation's rice mill pond.
The main road, Ashley River Road (part of South Carolina Highway 61), runs along the western edge of the historic area. The main house and living areas are on a small hill. This hill is about 20 feet (6.1 m) above the river. From here, you can see the river clearly for almost a mile.
A Journey Through Time: The History of Middleton Place
Early Days and Important Leaders
Middleton Place was started in the 1730s by John Williams. He was an early landowner in South Carolina. He likely began building the main house. He chose this spot for its great view of the Ashley River. After Williams passed away, the estate went to his daughter, Mary Williams.
In 1741, Mary Williams married Henry Middleton. The estate then became known as Middleton Place. Henry's family had moved from Barbados. They had already started another estate nearby. Henry became one of South Carolina's wealthiest landowners. His many plantations, covering a huge area, relied on the labor of hundreds of people.
Henry Middleton likely planned Middleton Place as a country home. It was not just a busy rice farm at first. The first main house was three stories tall. It was built around 1741 using bricks. In 1755, Henry added two smaller, separate buildings. These were called "flankers." The north flanker held a library and a ballroom. The south flanker was used as a guest house.
Henry also started designing the gardens in 1741. He wanted them to be more impressive than his neighbors'. He hired an English gardener named Simms. They used ideas from a popular garden book. They created a main path from the house. This path led through grassy areas and down to six shaped terraces. At the river level, two lakes were dug. These are called the "Butterfly Lakes."
Revolutionary War and New Plants
After Mary Middleton died in 1761, Henry gave Middleton Place to his son, Arthur. In 1776, the American Revolutionary War began. Arthur signed the United States Declaration of Independence. Four years later, British soldiers attacked Charleston. They also raided Middleton Place. They damaged statues and stole art and furniture. Arthur Middleton was captured and held prisoner. In 1783, the agreement to remove British troops from the South was signed at Middleton Place.
Later, new records showed that Middleton Place brought in water buffalo in the late 1700s. These were the first in the United States. They were used as strong animals for farm work. They were good for working in the muddy rice fields.
Arthur's son, Henry Middleton, was friends with a French plant expert, André Michaux. Because of this friendship, the first camellias in an American garden were grown here. Michaux gave them as a gift during his visit in 1786. Three of these original camellias are still alive today. They have grown to be fifteen feet tall! This Henry Middleton also added the first Asiatic azaleas and crape myrtles to the gardens. He filled greenhouses with exotic plants. He wanted Middleton Place to feel like a botanical garden.
Civil War and Earthquake Damage
When Henry Middleton passed away in 1846, his son, Williams Middleton, took over Middleton Place. In 1860, Williams Middleton signed the document for South Carolina to leave the United States. This action led to the start of the American Civil War.
In February 1865, near the end of the war, Union soldiers took over Middleton Place. They burned much of the main house and damaged other buildings. The soldiers also took some of the water buffalo. In 1868, Williams Middleton repaired the roof of the south flanker. He made it the main home. But he didn't have enough money for big repairs. After he died in 1883, his wife, Susan, inherited the estate.
Three years later, in 1886, a big earthquake hit Charleston. It caused more damage to Middleton Place. The walls of the main house and north flanker fell. The beautiful gardens were also damaged. They were left uncared for for many years.
Bringing Middleton Place Back to Life
Williams Middleton's daughter, Elizabeth, inherited Middleton Place in 1900. She made some small repairs. When she died in 1915, she left the estate to her cousin, John Julius Pringle Smith. Smith and his wife, Heningham, used Middleton Place as their winter home. They were determined to restore the gardens. They worked for many years, replanting and redesigning them. They opened the gardens to the public in the late 1920s. In 1941, a garden club called them "the most interesting and important garden in the United States."
In the 1930s, the Smiths also started restoring the house and other buildings. They wanted them to look like they did in the late 1700s. In 1971, Middleton Place was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was also named a National Historic Landmark District. Soon after, the Middleton Place Foundation was created. This foundation now manages the site. The foundation has also done important research to learn more about the many African-American people who lived and worked at Middleton Place throughout its history.
Middleton Place Today: What You Can See
Layout and Beautiful Gardens
The original entrance to Middleton Place was a road from Ashley River Road. It led to a large loop. The main house (now just the south wing) was at the east end of this loop. The stables were at the south end. The family burial grounds and main garden were at the north end. The terraced gardens and butterfly ponds were east of the main house. All these main features were lined up on an east-west path.
The northwest part of Middleton Place has a thick forest. This forest turns into a marsh near the river. This natural area is separated from the north gardens by a long, rectangular pool. It's called the Reflection Pool. There's also a smaller Azalea Pool. The north gardens are laid out like a grid. Hedges surround each section, and walkways separate them. A "spoked wheel" design, about 100 feet (30 m) wide, is on the east side of the gardens. Perhaps the most famous part of the gardens is the "Middleton Oak." This huge live oak tree has a trunk more than 10 feet (3.0 m) wide!
The east gardens stretch from the main house for about 200 feet (61 m). They then go down in terraces to the Ashley River floodplain. Two ponds at the bottom of the terraces look like butterfly wings. They are called the "Butterfly Lakes." Walls separate these ponds from the river and from the mill pond. A smaller garden, divided into four even smaller gardens, sits between the north and east gardens.
Most of Middleton's 6,000 acres is forest. In 2013, half of the property was set aside for a special program that helps the environment. This means it will stay a natural forest forever.
The Middleton Place House
The Middleton Place House was once the south wing of the original main building. Henry Middleton built it in 1755. One stone in the house even has his initials and the year "1755." The roof was added in 1868. This was after Union soldiers burned the original roof. The house is two stories tall. It measures about 52 feet (16 m) by 20 feet (6.1 m). It has a pointed roof and unique stepped gables. A service wing was added to the south side in the 1930s. It was built to match the 18th-century style. The first floor originally had a parlor, living room, and dining room. The second floor had three bedrooms. Today, the inside is decorated with original furniture.
Other Important Buildings
- The Middleton Place rice mill is located east of the Butterfly Lakes. It's where a natural stream flows into the Ashley River. Williams Middleton built this mill in 1851. He wanted to grow more rice at Middleton Place. The mill has been changed a few times over the years.
- The Middleton Place springhouse is behind the south flanker. It was built in the 1700s. Springhouses were used like refrigerators back then. In 1850, the second floor of the springhouse was turned into a chapel.
- Eliza's House is a home built around 1870. It was for people who were no longer enslaved after the Civil War. It's named after Eliza Leach, who lived there for many years.
- The Stableyard is an area where you can see demonstrations. It includes a barnyard and a stable. Both of these were built in the 1930s.
Images for kids
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Statue amidst the north gardens at Middleton Place
See also
