As I look back on our trip we took last fall, I realize it was a sprint across the south. Not a lazy let’s just get in the car and drive and see where the road takes us. I’ve come to learn after 48 years of marriage that the husband isn’t built that way. He is an A-B person. He doesn’t like the road less traveled which is the only way to truly see this country. He wants to know exactly where he will lay his head at night. There is nothing wrong with that except I think I’m the complete opposite. I like the small little towns that appear out of the blue as you’re coming down a mountain and entering a valley and you say to yourself “Oh, what’s this”. That feeling of magic.
As you drive along the Ashley River Rd from Charleston you begin to understand some things. Built by enslaved labor one bucket of earth at a time, this is a Scenic By-Way two lane road (for now) they want to widen this road. Of course the historical people and myself included say NO. You will be losing the whole experience if you do that. Ashley River Rd is close and tree lined on both sides. It reminds you of that scene in the movie The Last of the Mohicans where the Fort has been surrendered to the French and everyone is walking out and they are attacked by the Indians. There are several plantations along this road. Magnolia Plantation and Drayton Hall are along this road as well. During the 18th Century the plantation residents would usually approach the home via the Ashley River itself because at times traversing the road was dangerous on multiple levels.
While driving along this road your imagination can run away with you and then you come across the road kill. Is that an armadillo, yup you don’t see those in NE. Then there was the wild boar. Eventually you turn into the drive that says The Inn at Middleton Place. Another tree lined road where you go thru a gate and come upon a small building where you check in. I assumed we would need to buy tickets to get into Middleton Place but no, it was covered by our reservation. We only had a room for one night and we wished we could have stayed for both nights. Unfortunately they couldn’t accommodate us for the second night. It turned out to be our favorite place we stayed on the entire trip. We picked up the key (yes a key) and drove to our room which was up several concrete stairs (not for the faint of heart) but so worth it.
Needless to say we were selective about the luggage we took into the room. When we entered we were so pleasantly surprised and we understood why the rooms are built up so high.
You feel like you’re in a tree house, the room was simple and spare and absolutely perfect with natural stained paneling, a sliding barn door into the bathroom which boasted a wonderful bath tub shower combo.
Everything you need and nothing you don’t.
We learned that there is a dirt walking path along the Ashley River that will take you to the plantation and the house. It’s an easy walk relatively flat but incredibly quiet and peaceful.
Traveling along the path you are surrounded by flora and fauna with the river and marsh on your right. I have been to Middleton Place once before but never experienced the marsh in quite this way. You get a completely different perspective then you do from the house. Middleton Place is known for it’s gardens. The oldest planned garden in the country and where the very first camellias were planted. Unfortunately we were there in the fall. The movie The Patriot was filmed in the gardens and the river.
Middleton Place as it was before the Civil War.
Owned by the Middleton’s and the birthplace of Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the house and property had been held in family hands until 1974 when a trust was set up to sustain it into the 21 Century. Originally a rice plantation, Middleton Place was burned by the Yankees along with other plantations up and down the Ashley River Road, in February of 1865 just 2 months before the end of the Civil War. Restoration began on the South Flanker in 1869 the least damaged of all the buildings. At that time it was given it’s Dutch Gable Ends. In 1886 the rest of the damaged buildings were reversed to rubble after the The Great Earthquake of 1886. The South Flanker survived in no doubt do to the earlier restoration. The rubble still remains as a reminder of the Civil War.
We ran into this guy, a small alligator sunning himself on the pond bank. Only about 5-6′ long!
There was a group of Egrets and this guy drying his wings (the strangest sight). Anybody know what kind of bird this is? He was the same size as the Egrets and I was able to walk right up to him.
As we wandered over all the different paths, a surprise at every turn this dependency came into view. Inside it tells about the enslaved members of Middleton and how they worked the rice.
And then I met up with this guy! The husband said he thought it was a copper head. This city girl is not quite used to this kind of nature. The husband who is a hunter is very used to this, so he was always prepared and his eyes were constantly surveying the land.
We approached the house thru the barn yard where the sheep were grazing. It was so fun to actually be able to walk amongst them and they are so used to people they paid no attention.
The house itself isn’t that large and we weren’t allowed to take pictures. This part of the estate was the south flanker. It was never meant to be the main residence. Originally office space and gentleman guest quarters it only became the main residence after the restoration in 1869. When word came that the Yankees were marching toward the Ashley River Road the butler was responsible for burying family heirlooms, valuable paintings, the silver, furniture before the Yankees arrived so a lot of the original family artifacts are still with the house. Many of the enslaved stayed on after Emancipation, including the butler who lived his life with the Middletons.
The next morning I got up around 6:00am and left the husband sleeping. I wanted to walk the property at the break of dawn. I will leave you with images. I can’t explain what a soul riveting experience this was for me. Nothing but peace, quiet and the sounds of nature beginning the day. I walked the entire grounds just me and no one else in sight. And, just for a moment in time it belonged to me.
Please, the next time you’re in this area, add it to your bucket list. The work they are doing here is so important to our national history. The story of the enslaved individuals is equally important as the story of the Middleton’s. The stables are open as well as a dining room where we had a fabulous lunch and the gift shop is fun. They have special events all year long. You can read about it here https://www.middletonplace.org/about/ The beauty is remarkable.
Thanks for stopping
Shelley
