This S.C. Plantation Is Almost 300 Years Old

George Washington Visited Hampton On His 1791 Southern Tour

Past Lane Plus is an extension of Past Lane Travels, a history/travel blog. Past Lane Plus features extra photos of historical sites that didn’t make it into the regular posts.

Situated just a few miles from the charming Southern town of McClellanville, S.C., Hampton Plantation is a beautifully preserved 18th-century estate that provides a window into the history of the area.

It’s unusual because it was built in 1735 — almost 300 years ago.

Hampton Plantation was built in 1735, with the portico and sides added in 1757.

The grounds of Hampton Plantation State Historic Site are open for self-guided tours. Guided tours of the house take place Thursday through Sunday at noon and 2 p.m.

The inside of Hampton Plantation showing the original beams and the wood floors that are all one length.

Archibald Rutledge was the last private owner of Hampton and lived in the house until 1972. It is now part of the South Carolina State Park system with nature trails and gardens.

You can spend hours walking the trails that wind through groves of tall pines, gardens and swamps.

Walking trails wind through swamps, forests and gardens.

And the trees! I’ve never seen so many trees that are centuries old, including the “Washington Oak” that stands right outside the front porch of Hampton.

Legend has it that when George Washington stopped at Hampton during his Southern tour, the owner of the house asked if she should cut down the tree to improve the view.

Washington told her to let the tree stand, and it remains there today.

If you look hard, you can see a bell high in the tree.

Look closely and you can see the bell that remains in the “Washington Oak.”

The Washington Oak is just one of the many ancient live oaks that dot the property. .

It’s amazing to walk among these living things that are a bridge to times past.

Ancient live oaks at Hampton

As you walk, you may come across two different cemeteries at Hampton.

One is the family cemetery of the Rutledges, the last private owners, and the other is the slave cemetery where generations of African American are buried, including Archibald Rutledge’s best friend Prince Allston.

The small Rutledge family cemetery at Hampton.

I visited Hampton Plantation in February, so was delighted to see flowers blooming!

That’s not something we see in Pennsylvania at that time of year.

Flowers in bloom in the gardens at Hampton Plantation.

I hope you’ll click over to Past Lane Travels and read the full post on Hampton Plantation. It has such a long history and is an entertaining and intriguing place to spend an afternoon.

Don’t miss next week’s post on the first Washington Monument. (Hint: It’s not the one in Washington, D.C.)