A historic rice plantation today is a place of contradictions. It's beauty is undeniable, with its lush gardens, moss-draped live oaks, scenic waterways and beautifully built residences. Many of these old plantation sites have been converted into public spaces where history is interpreted and conveyed to visitors.
So while we admire the aesthetic qualities of these places, we can't help but consider what happened in the rice fields, the master's house, the slave cabins, the burial grounds. The soil has soaked up plenty of blood and tears. A visit, therefore, can provoke an uncomfortable cognitive dissonance.
Walk through the carefully cultivated gardens, admiring the camellias and azaleas, and remember that they were tended by enslaved people. View the remnants of the rice fields and know that they were created and maintained by Africans, many of whom died young because of the intensive labor required. Marvel at the riches inside the house — the furniture, silverware, art — and consider that they are a reflection of the wealth made possible only because of the institution of slavery.
View the graveyards and note the difference between where members of the White planter family are buried and where the Black people were laid to rest. Visits to historic plantations, therefore, can be an eye-opening and valuable experience. Indigo-dyed yarn hangs out to dry at Middleton Place in May 2024.
Up Ashley River Road you'll find Middleton Place , a nonprofit foundation, which offers .