~ Boone Hall Plantation ~ (Mt. Pleasant, SC)

This is one of America's oldest working plantations.

In 1743, the son of Major John Boone planted live oak trees, arranging them in two evenly spaced rows. This spectacular approach to his home symbolizes southern heritage and will take root in your memory for many years to come. It would take two centuries for the massive, moss-draped branches to meet overhead, forming today's natural corridor

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The Avenue of Oaks was started in 1843 & is three-quarters of a mile long. There are about 88 live oak trees & one magnolia. Spanish moss hangs elegantly from the trees.

There were 1,452 acres in 1811; 4,039.5 acres in 1935

Along the avenue is a brick grave vault. It is believed that Thomas Boone and his family are buried there.

This was after that 12" rain storm we ran into.

These majestic trees are so beautiful to see,

draped in the moss ...

Slave cabins

There are nine original 27 slave cabins still on the property. An exact date of construction is not know but it is estimated that they were built between 1790 and 1810. All nine cabins are built of brick. Like the brick for the smokehouse, the brick was probably made on site. It is not very common to find slave houses made of brick. The majority of them were made of wood.

The cabins sit in a row along the Avenue of Oaks. They are the first structures a visitor would see upon entering the plantation. Some suggest that this was a way for the owner of the plantation to show off his wealth. It is believed that the brick cabins at Boone Hall were reserved for the skilled slaves such as the cook, house slaves, carpenter, blacksmith, etc. The field hands probably had houses closer to the fields. There was probably more than one family living in each cabin.

Each cabin has a central chimney with four windows on the facade and one on the side facing the Avenue. The floors have been replaced along with the doors and window shutters. The facades of the cabins have been repointed because they were bowing out. The cabins also have new roofs due to Hurricane Hugo (1989). The original roofs were probably clay tiles made on site. At one point they were replaced with wooden shingles. After the hurricane the roofs were replaced with tiles that were probably similar to the original tiles .Like the smokehouse, two of the cabins have a diamond-shaped pattern on the rear of the structure.

The cabins were lived in until the 1940s. Today, the cabins house exhibits that depict the lives of slaves.

Mansion

The current house on the property was built by Thomas Stone in 1936. The house that was there was torn down. From pictures the previous house appeared to be a typical plantation house - symmetrical with big porches. The new house was built in the Colonial revival style. Thomas Stone kept a diary in which he recorded some information about the construction of his house.

Thomas Stone used brick that was left on the plantation in the construction of his house. The house is three stories with a full basement and measures about 10,000 square feet. Unlike original plantation houses the new house has a full-sized kitchen in the house along with seven bathrooms. The first floors houses the kitchen, library, dining room, loggia, and game room. The second floor has seven bedrooms, and the third floor has two rooms, a bathroom, and a full-sized attic.

During the early twentieth century many South Carolina plantations were purchased as farming ventures, hunting clubs, and private vacation retreats. An important trend was the replacement of existing dwellings with new residences considered appropriate for the historic site. Most of the new homes were designed by professional architects, often in the Georgian, Greek, or Colonial revival styles.

1681 – Earliest known date of existence

On September 7, Theophilus Patey was granted 470 acres on Wampacheeoone Creek (Boone Hall Creek). It is not known if he did anything with the land.

Directly in front of the house are two gardens. The brick-lined pathways create a butterfly pattern. In the sections closest to the house are primarily azaleas, and the other half consist of Noisette roses and a variety of other plants and flowers.

This is called the Praise House

This plantation was an active plantation ... indigo & cotton were its primary crops, with its own cotton gin.

There were 40 slaves in 1790 (John Boone)

Slave quilt (reproduction I suppose)

Sweet grass creations ... as you travel the roadways you will find little stands where

ladies & men sit weaving their creations for

purchase by passersby.

The plantation was closed for the making of these films ~

North & South, Queen & The Notebook

The day we were there was the day that the little rocking

chair decided to 'ghostly' rock ... I left!, thank you.

Unfortunately, they will not allow interior photos ...

This is the side courtyard looking down toward the river.

They relied upon the tides to carry them to the other side

& back ... if not timed exactly right they would be stranded

until the tides rose to cross once again.

This is a picture of the river & an ivy covered tree surrounded by the spanish moss.