Middleton Place

An 18th-century rice plantation and National Historic Landmark comprising America’s oldest landscaped Gardens, the Middleton Place House Museum and the Plantation Stableyards. The Gardens reflect the elegant symmetry of 17th century European design. Guided tours of the House Museum interpret the Middletons’ vital role in American history. In the Plantation Stableyards, craftspeople including a blacksmith, potter, carpenter and weaver, recreate the activities of a self-sustaining Low Country plantation. Scenes in the movies Queen, Scarlet and more recently, The Patriot starring Mel Gibson, were filmed on location at this beautiful and expansive plantation. The Middleton Place Restaurant serves lunch daily from 11am-3pm to visitors of the property; dinner is served to the public Sunday, Tuesday – Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Garden Market and Nursery offers rare Middleton Camellia Japonicas and Middleton Oak seedlings, annuals, perennials, herbs, as well as gardening accessories, plantation crafted wares, specialty foods, and picnic lunches. The Museum Shop features books of regional interest, artwork, specialty foods, jewelry and more.

Middleton Place was the home of Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress, and his son, Arthur Middleton, signer of the Declaration of Independence. The gardens were begun in 1741 by Henry Middleton and restored by Middleton descendants. These gardens contain the oldest camellias in the new world, planted in 1786 by French botanist Andre Michaux. The Middleton Oak, whose age is estimated at nearly 1000 years, the rice mill and pond, the butterfly lakes and the tomb of Arthur Middleton are on the property.