Mulberry Grove Plantation facts for kids

Mulberry Grove Plantation was a historic farm located north of Port Wentworth in Chatham County, Georgia. It was once a very important plantation known for growing rice. Mulberry Grove is most famous as the place where Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a machine that changed cotton farming forever.

Today, Mulberry Grove is mostly ruins. It is surrounded by busy industrial areas. All that is left to see is a special bronze marker. This marker tells the story of the plantation's past.

A Look Back: The History of Mulberry Grove

Mulberry Grove began as part of a settlement called Joseph's Town. It was first planned to be a farm that grew silk. By 1740, people at the plantation started trying to grow rice instead. When slavery was brought to Georgia, the idea of growing silk was stopped. Rice production then became the main purpose of the plantation.

After the Revolutionary War

After the American Revolutionary War, Mulberry Grove was left empty for a while. On April 13, 1782, the Georgia State Legislature decided to buy the estate. They spent five thousand guineas (an old type of money) to get it. This was a gift for General Nathanael Greene. It was to thank him for his important help during the war.

General Greene lived at Mulberry Grove until he passed away in 1786. Later, President George Washington visited the plantation. He wrote in his diary about meeting Mrs. Greene, General Greene's wife, at Mulberry Grove. He also mentioned having dinner there.

The Cotton Gin is Invented

Eli Whitney was a guest at Mulberry Grove Plantation. It was during his stay that he came up with the idea for the cotton gin. This machine was designed to quickly separate cotton fibers from their seeds. Before this, it was a very slow and difficult job done by hand.

Whitney shared his idea with Phineas Miller, who managed the plantation for Mrs. Greene. Miller liked the plan and agreed to pay for all the costs of building a test machine. If it worked, they would share any money made from the invention. The cotton gin made growing cotton much more profitable. However, it also sadly led to a greater demand for enslaved labor in the South.

The End of an Era

The success of Mulberry Grove, like many plantations, relied heavily on slavery. This way of life ended after the American Civil War. After the war, the large estate was slowly divided and sold off.

Today, a bronze marker is the only sign of where this historic plantation once stood. It was placed in 1938. You can find it where the old plantation road met the Augusta Road.