"Middleton - A Dowry" Top 5 Page for this destination Gardens and Plantations Tip by grandmaR

I decided that we should visit at least ONE of the big plantations in Charleston - we hadn't been to any before this, primarily because they are so expensive. There are three of them on Ashley River Road - Magnolia, Drayden and Middleton. So today we went to Middleton Place.

The road in to the parking lot was not paved and very bumpy. I knew there were carriage rides, and I thought there were also mechanical rides through the gardens, but I was mistaken about that. I didn't want to pay extra for the carriage ride, or to go in the house where I couldn't take photos, so we only got the basic ticket. Even that was a steep entry fee - $25 each. I was primarily interested in the Mausoleum which the website said had several family members buried there and some of them were historic characters

We walked in past the reflecting pool with its pair of mute swans, and up the side of the Greensward. The mausoleum had five residents - The oldest was Mary Williams Middleton who was an heiress - she brought Middleton (not named that then, of course) to Henry Middleton as her dowry. Her tomb was used as the capstone of the mausoleum.

Henry (who isn't buried here) was the President of the First Continental Congress. Their son Arthur was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His son Henry was the Governor of SC and a Minister to Russia.

Henry II's son Williams was a signer of the Ordinance of Secession. As a result of his activities on behalf of the south, the mansion was burned down. All that remains is a rebuilt wing.

Elizabeth, the daughter of Williams was the last of the Middletons to bear that name. When she died in 1915, she willed the estate to a cousin.

Address: Ashley River Road
Phone: 803-556-6020
Website: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSvcid=71983&CRid=641365&pt=Middleton%20Gardens&