McLeod Plantation Historic Site
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29823)
Momence, Illinois
March 10, 2017 8:41am CST
Our last stop on our visit to Charleston South Carolina was to an old plantation. It was called the McLeod Plantation as was established in 1851. The plantation grew sea island cotton, and is a Gullah/Geechee heritage site.
The sea island cotton was only grown in the lowcountry of Georgia and South Carolina. It was prized for it's silky texture and extra long fibers. The Civil War and an infestation of the boll weevil wiped out all the crops and this particular cotton was never seen or grown again.
I was a bit disappointed with the tour as inside the main house there was no furniture. Just empty rooms and we were not allowed to go to the 2nd floor. There were also slave shacks and they too were empty.
The best part of the whole tour was the 600 year old live oak on the property. It was absolutely huge. The picture I have here is of my husband and son walking near the tree, this was really the only way to show just how big this tree is. I sure hope it lives another 600 years.
16 people like this
18 responses
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
10 Mar 17
Trees are mute witnesses to what transpired in history or what exactly happened there, if only trees could talk they would give very accurate accounts, I was thinking that because it's the same with historical places that I visited in my country.
4 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Mar 17
Very true and this one has been around for a incredibly long time.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
10 Mar 17
Years ago I asked a local person if I could take home some Spanish moss from the big ol'live oak at the rental. He said sure you can..but you have to 'bake' it in the oven on low for hours to kill any bugs....I decided to leave the moss right where it was. Beaufort also has a big Gullah population....they make beautiful baskets.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Mar 17
I saw many road side basket sellers in the Charleston area. They had sweetgrass baskets, and while incredibly beautiful they were hugly expensive. We saw one that was like a flat basket measuring approx. 8 or 9 inches across, and it was over 400 dollars. I so wanted one but that I can't afford
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
10 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 I saw some in shops in Beaufort and really didn't look at the price since I knew I wasn't buying.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Mar 17
@AbbyGreenhill I do understand the work that goes into making one, I saw some making them as they were selling them. I wondered how many they sell as the price is so darn high. I looked on ebay when I got home some are pretty cheap but I'm thinking not as good quality, some were just as expensive as I saw in South Carolina
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
11 Mar 17
There are some really nice plantations to visit in that area, we visited two when we were there one was Magnolia and Drayton Hall.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
13 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 lol I went there on a media pass so it was free so price was no object, when I have to pay, I go for cheap as well
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Mar 17
@BelleStarr A media pass hmmmm never heard of that. We are going to get a federal national park pass when hubby turns 62 in January.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
Yea we were going for cheap to be honest and that's what we got.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
16 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 hahaha All you would need is a couple of chairs under it and then you could hang some pretty lanterns from it!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Mar 17
@CRK109 Wouldn't that be cool. And by the way the longer I have those pillows the more I love them.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
16 Mar 17
I was speechless when I saw it, I would love that in my yard, but then I would barely have a yard lol.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
11 Mar 17
wow, that is a real huge tree. i bet a few people, with arms holding each other, can encircle and embrace the trunk of the tree.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
12 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 that definitely is a huge tree.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
@ridingbet I would love that in my yard but it would take up the whole yard.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
My husband and son stood with arms stretched out it would take at least 3 more people to encircle it just huge
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Mar 17
The ancient oak tree is amazing. Is that Spanish moss all over it?
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
10 Mar 17
Yes it is. I'll answer for her LOL
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Mar 17
Yes it think it is, it was amazing to stand next to.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
11 Mar 17
What a tree. You took me to a tree near Kolkata (India) where a years old banyan tree has given out shoots off the ground and has occupied miles. We spent hours there sitting under the tree.
The Great Banyan tree is over 250 years old and in spread it is the largest known in India, perhaps in Asia. The Great Banyan is a banyan tree (Ficus benghal...
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
I have heard and read about those banyan trees would love to see one up close.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
12 Mar 17
Some of those trees in South Carolina are amazing. We hope it lives another 600 years too!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 17
Yes I thought so too, to bad it's no longer around.
@Tampa_girl7 (48926)
• United States
17 Mar 17
I haven't heard of this plantation before. Wow, a 600 year old tree. I love trees
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
20 Mar 17
The house was beautiful but no furniture so empty rooms, not worth the 10 bucks if you ask me. but the tree was worth the money.
@Marilynda1225 (79698)
• United States
16 Mar 17
That really is one HUGE tree but it's so beautiful. I probably would have been disappointed too with their being no furniture in the main house. It would have been nice to see how it was decorated
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Mar 17
We were not to happy with it to say the least. I hope in the future they consider getting furniture it would make their tour way way better. Yea cool tree for sure, best part.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
12 Mar 17
That tree is awesome and I'm with you, if there are building i want to see them they way they looked back in the day. I'm surprised they were not filled with furniture..
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
I was shocked, it just wasn't that exciting to see the empty rooms.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
No kidding how cool, it was the best part of the tour to be sure.
1 person likes this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
11 Mar 17
Oh how sad there was no furniture- you could have pretended you were Scarlet O'Hara---LOL! Really don't know why they wouldn't have it like an authentic museum plantation- that would be so neat!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
I was certainly confused it certainly wasn't that exciting to see empty rooms.
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
11 Mar 17
I'm sorry it was a bit disappointing! What a fantastic trip you had, so many wonderful sights to behold!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
It was like the cheapest tour of a plantation we could find. Big mistake except for the tree that was magnificent.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
No the plantation house was lovely from the outside, but inside was a huge waste of my time and money.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
10 Mar 17
How nice! It's like seeing the world from my computer desk. Thanks for sharing
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
you are so very welcome, I enjoy sharing my pics and trips with everyone.,
