📍Charleston, SC: From Plantations to Gardens

Charleston, the most populous city in South Carolina, was founded by British colonists in 1670. From the late 17th to early 19th centuries, it ranked among America’s top five cities and served as a major slave trade port—approximately 40% of enslaved Africans brought to North America were sold here. 🏛️ The city’s early planning was dominated by a small wealthy class, resulting in limited public spaces, while private estates featured numerous exquisite gardens. 🌿Cypress Gardens Admission: $10 for adults Highlights: 🛶 Free boat ride – Row along marked trails through swamp waterways surrounded by tall bald cypress trees and wetland plants. Spot birds and aquatic wildlife during the ~45-minute journey. 🌳 Scenic trails – Explore 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of walking paths winding through swamps and gardens. Historical Background: From the 18th to 19th centuries, this land operated as rice plantations under the Nesbitt and Carson families. In the early 20th century, Benjamin Kittredge purchased the property and developed the Cypress Gardens we see today. The garden is now managed by Berkeley County. 🏛️Middleton Place Admission: $32 adults | $15 students Highlights: 👵🏼👴🏼 Free guided tours – Volunteer retirees share stories about garden construction, enslaved labor, and livestock history (30-40 mins each). 🌲 Oak alleys & camellias – Ancient oaks draped with Spanish moss create a magical atmosphere Camellias bloom mid-March to mid-April—sadly we missed them! ❄️ 🍽️ Plantation restaurant – Serves authentic Lowcountry cuisine. Historical Background: Established as a rice plantation in the early 18th century, the property was later gifted as a dowry to Henry Middleton (second president of the First Continental Congress). He designed America’s earliest landscaped gardens, inspired by French formal gardens (like Versailles), featuring symmetrical, geometric layouts. His son Arthur Middleton (SC delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Declaration signer) helped make it a National Historic Landmark. 📜 After declining post-Civil War and emancipation, the gardens were restored in the 20th century by descendants J.J. Pringle Smith and his wife, who established a foundation for its preservation. #Travel #AmericanSouth #USHistory #Photography#SouthernPlantations #GardenWanderlust ✨