Boone Hall Plantation - Mount Pleasant, South Carolina - Large Family Owned House and Plantation



Boone Hall Plantation is located in Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and has been open to the public since 1956. It is one of America's oldest working plantations, where crops have been continuously grown since the late 17th century. Many varieties of fruit and vegetable are still grown here and sold at a nearby market.

Visitors are greeted by a large avenue of oak trees running three quarters of a mile from the entrance to the front house gates. The grounds still have some of the original slave cabins, which date back to around the turn of the 19th century. An old smoke house and a gin house can also be seen at the site, which retains many historic artifacts.

The house and plantation have been owned by the McRae family since 1955, and it was they who filled the house with antiques and began providing tours to the public. The tours provide an insight in to the history of the site and the people living here previously. Year round tours of the house take approximately 30 minutes, and tours are also given of the plantation, garden and butterfly pavilion.

The Plantation tour is a motorized tour taking approximately 40 minutes and can be taken any time of the year. Visitors are escorted by a guide providing stories of the site's history. The guide will point out the crops still grown at the plantation, which include strawberries, tomatoes, corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, cucumbers, green peppers, eggplants and others too.

The garden is full of beautiful plants, flowers and trees and can be viewed at the visitor's leisure without a guide. The garden's big attraction is its antique roses, which are over 100 years old. Butterflies are another attraction in the Butterfly Pavilion and are something for all the family to enjoy as they pick out the different species.

Several education programs are offered at Boone Hall allowing students an opportunity to receive presentations and practical demonstrations on a variety of subjects. General history of the house, plantation and the slaves employed at the site are topics offered to schools here. Students can also find out how some of the fruit and vegetables are grown and other information about nature, agriculture and botany at the plantation.

Boone Hall plays host to a series of special events throughout the year, such as festivals, concerts and various presentations. One of the highlights of the year is the Battle of Secessionville held each November, which reenacts a day in 1862 when Confederate soldiers stopped Union forces seizing control of Charleston. The Oyster Roast is another event held annually in January where visitors come from all over the world and consume huge quantities of Oysters.

This venue is open all year round with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and has free parking. Admission prices cover entry to the site, tours of the house, plantation and the exhibitions and presentations, with adults charged $17.50, children $7.50 and children five and under can get in free. Special rates are given to senior citizens, military personnel and AAA members, who all pay $15.

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Apr 25, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
How many oak trees were in the front of the matition?

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