We finally got to the motel rather late Monday Night – and I got to my room to find that it had not been cleaned. No towels, no sheets on the bed. I went back down to the desk, and the very apologetical desk clerk walked up to give me another room – which was not cleaned, either. We finally found one that was cleaned and made up, and I gratefully got organized and settled. They were very nice!
It was cloudy Tuesday morning as we headed to Magnolia Plantation, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We arrived early, and the gates would not open for another half hour. We parked sideways along the road until a volunteer came by and said that was silly. She opened the gate and we followed her in. We parked right beside the ticket center, and were given free reign to walk around until we could buy tickets.
We had enjoyed driving down the long driveway, lined by Live Oaks with Spanish Moss and Palmetto trees, as well as shrubs and other trees. There was a Biblical garden, azalea gardens, a pond, kitchen gardens, and even a maze.
Our tour guide for the plantation was Sheryl, who was knowledgeable and personable and we learned facts about the plantation, the home, the family, the Ashley River. We walked back through the paths, past the river, through the gardens, past the burial monument. We just got back to the café by the pavilion when it started to rain. And rain. It POURED! We were glad to be under cover while waiting for the tour of the slave cabins (Slavery to Freedom Tour). The peacocks decided the rain wasn’t their cup of tea, either, and they wondered around in the pavilion with us — except for one crazy bird who sat up on the fence and just watched everyone. I was the only one with a poncho, so I zipped over to the car and got our umbrellas for good measure. The rain let up just as we had to head out to the Tram for our ride to the cabins. (Couldn’t take inside photos at the house.)
The cabins were 150 plus years old – and the four cabins each represented a different time in the plantation’s history – from the 1700’s through the 1990’s. Even after slavery was abolished, free workers on the plantation lived in the cabins. There was a fire pit in front of one, a replica of one that would have been used by the early slaves to cook and bake. There was a live oak at the corner that was absolutely huge! We were sorry to leave – there was so much else to see and do – but we (of course) had another tour scheduled for the afternoon! The rain let up, and by the time we got back to Charleston it was sunny and clear.
Check for the rest of day #3 on post #5 – where Mike’s message from Hempfield will be posted.
On this day in 1762 – first reported counterfeiting (Boston); in 1776 the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was submitted to the Continental Congress. In 1776 Charleston South Carolina repulsed the British Attack, and in 1935 FDR ordered a federal gold vault to be built at Ft Knox KY. In 1976 the first woman was admitted to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; in 1982 Prince Charles and Lady Diana named their baby William. And in 2003 The Pirates of the Caribbean premiered at Disneyland. Henry VIII (King of England) was born in 1491; John Wesley in 1703; Mel Brooks in 1926, and Kellie Pickler (Country singer) in 1986. James Madison (4th President) died at age 85 in 1836, and in 1919 Harry and Elizabeth Truman were married (he was 33rd President). Merle Haggard married Bonnie Owens in 1965.
TOMORROW June 29 is:
- National Camera Day
- National Waffle Iron Day
- National Almond Buttercrunch Day ** I love buttercrunch donuts!
A little interesting fact I leaved from a documentary of Magnolia gardens: There are basically two kinds of gardens 1) Formal Gardens – Controls Nature. 2) Romantic Gardens – CO-operates with Nature. Everything else is somewhere in between!
And a post note: If we were in Charleston today we could be part of their huge celebration every June 28th: Carolina Day! The Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Among other things, they ring church bells, have a huge parade, and purchase their Palmetto State Flags. Wish we were there!!!
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