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 famous historic plantation in Dorchester County, South Carolina. It sits along the Ashley River, about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of downtown Charleston, South Carolina. This special place was built over many years in the 1700s and 1800s.
It was the main home for many generations of the Middleton family. This family played a big part in the early history of South Carolina. Today, Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark District. It is open as a museum and has the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States.
John Williams, an early South Carolina landowner, likely started building Middleton Place in the late 1730s. His son-in-law, Henry Middleton (1717–1784), finished the main house. Henry also started creating the amazing gardens. He later became the President of the First Continental Congress.
Henry's son, Arthur Middleton (1742–1787), was born at Middleton Place. Arthur was a Founding Father and signed the Declaration of Independence. He lived at the plantation in his later years.
Later, Henry Middleton (1770–1846) and Williams Middleton (1809–1883) turned Middleton Place into a busy rice plantation. In 1865, during the American Civil War, Union soldiers burned most of the main house. Only the south wing was left standing. The 1886 Charleston earthquake later caused more damage.
Restoration of Middleton Place began in 1916. A Middleton family member, John Julius Pringle Smith, and his wife, Heningham, worked for decades. They carefully rebuilt the plantation's gardens. In the early 1970s, about 110 acres (45 ha) of the plantation became part of the National Register of Historic Places. The Middleton family then gave ownership of the historic site to the Middleton Place Foundation. This non-profit group now takes care of the site.
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Where is Middleton Place?
Middleton Place is located on the southwest bank of the Ashley River. The river flows south and then sharply east towards Charleston Harbor. A small creek flows into the Ashley River here. This creek was dammed to create the plantation's rice mill pond.
South Carolina Highway 61 (Ashley River Road) runs along the western edge of the historic area. The main house and gardens sit on a small hill. This hill is about 20 feet (6.1 m) above the river. This gives visitors a clear view of the river for almost a mile.
A Look at Middleton Place's Past
Building a Colonial Home
Middleton Place was started in the 1730s by John Williams. He likely chose the spot for the main house because it had a great view of the Ashley River. After Williams passed away, the plantation went to his daughter, Mary Williams.
In 1741, Mary Williams married Henry Middleton. That's how the plantation got its name. Henry's family had a history of owning land in South Carolina. He kept buying more land and became one of the wealthiest landowners. At one point, he owned 20 plantations and thousands of enslaved people.
Henry Middleton probably planned Middleton Place as a country home, not just a working farm. The first main house was three stories tall and built of brick. In 1755, Henry added two smaller, separate buildings called "flankers." The north flanker had a library and a ballroom. The south flanker was used as a guest house.
Henry started working on the gardens in 1741. He hired an English gardener named Simms. They designed the gardens using ideas from a popular gardening book. They created a long path leading to terraced lawns. Near the river, they dug two lakes shaped like butterfly wings. 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, Arthur signed the Declaration of Independence. This was at the start of the American Revolutionary War.
During the war, British troops attacked Charleston. They also damaged Middleton Place. They broke statues and stole art and furniture. Arthur Middleton was captured and held prisoner. In 1783, the agreement that ended British control in the South was signed at Middleton Place.
New records show that Middleton Place brought water buffalo from Constantinople in the late 1700s. These were the first in the United States. They were used as experimental farm animals. They were good for working in the muddy rice fields.
Arthur's son, Henry Middleton, was friends with a French botanist named André Michaux. Because of this friendship, the first camellia flowers in an American garden were planted here in 1786. Three of these original camellias are still alive today! Henry also brought the first Asiatic azalea and crape myrtle to the gardens. He filled greenhouses with exotic plants. This made Middleton Place feel like a botanical garden.
Civil War and Earthquake Damage
When Henry Middleton died in 1846, Middleton Place went to his son, Williams Middleton. In 1860, Williams Middleton signed the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession. This meant South Carolina declared it was no longer part of the United States. This action helped start the U.S. Civil War.
In February 1865, near the end of the war, Union soldiers took over Middleton Place. They burned the main house and the north flanker. They also damaged part of the south flanker. The soldiers also took some of the water buffalo.
In 1868, Williams Middleton put a new roof on the south flanker. He made it the main home. But he didn't have much money for big repairs. After he died in 1883, Middleton Place went to his wife, Susan. Three years later, the 1886 Charleston earthquake caused more damage. It knocked down the walls of the main house. The gardens were also damaged and left uncared for.
Bringing it 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 plantation to her cousin, John Julius Pringle Smith.
Smith and his wife, Heningham, used Middleton Place as their winter home. They wanted to make the gardens beautiful again. They worked for many years, replanting and fixing the gardens. They opened the gardens to the public in the late 1920s. In 1941, the Garden Club of America called the Middleton Place gardens "the most interesting and important garden in the United States."
In the 1930s, the Smiths 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 group now works to preserve the site. They have also done a lot of research to learn about the thousands of African-American enslaved people who lived and worked at Middleton Place.
Middleton Place Today
Exploring the Layout
The original entrance to Middleton Place was a road that led to a large loop. The main house (now just the south flanker) was at one end of the loop. The stables were at the south end. The family burial grounds and main garden area were at the north end. The terraced gardens and butterfly ponds were east of the main house.
The northwest part of Middleton Place has a thick forest. This forest turns into a marsh near the river. A long, rectangular pool, called the Reflection Pool, separates this natural area from the north gardens. The north gardens are laid out in a grid pattern. Each section is surrounded by hedges and paths.
One of the most famous parts of the gardens is the "Middleton Oak." This is a huge live oak tree. Its trunk is more than 10 feet (3.0 m) wide!
The east gardens stretch from the main house towards the Ashley River. They go down in a series of terraces. At the bottom of the terraces are the two "Butterfly Lakes." These ponds are shaped like butterfly wings.
Most of Middleton's 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) is forest. In 2013, half of the property was set aside to protect the environment. This means it will not be built on.
The Middleton Place House
The Middleton Place House was once the south wing of the main building. Henry Middleton built it in 1755. The original roof was destroyed by Union soldiers in 1865. A new roof was added in 1868.
The house is two stories tall. It is about 52 feet (16 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. In the 1930s, a service wing was added to the south side. The first floor of the house originally had a parlor, living room, and dining room. The second floor had three bedrooms. Today, the inside of the house is decorated with original furniture.
Other Important Buildings
- The Middleton Place rice mill is located east of the Butterfly Lakes. Williams Middleton built this mill in 1851. It helped with the rice farming at Middleton Place.
- The Middleton Place springhouse is behind the south flanker. It was built in the 1700s. Springhouses were used like refrigerators to keep food cool. In 1850, the second floor of the springhouse became a chapel.
- Eliza's House is a home built around 1870 for formerly enslaved people. It is named after its last resident, Eliza Leach (1891–1986).
- The Stableyard is an area where visitors can see demonstrations. It includes a barnyard and stable, which were built in the 1930s.
See also
