Plantations in the South Teri Pierson Lena Vista Elementary Debra Kelly SMA Fall 2010

A Virtual Field Trip to Drayton Hall in Charleston, South Carolina and Kingsley Plantation in Jacksonville, Florida

Discover Drayton Hall Drayton Hall, in Charleston, SC, is a National Trust Historic Site, circa It has the notable distinction of being the oldest preserved plantation house in America that is open to the public. Fortunately, it remains the only Authentic building of the Ashley River area of Charleston. Preservation has helped keep the structure and grounds in near original condition.

Introduction to Drayton Hall Voices of Drayton Hall

Drayton Hall

Here is an architectural model of Drayton Hall, prominently displayed in the Grand Hall.

Placard for the architectural model of Drayton Hall

View of the grounds from the front portico

Window view from one of the bedrooms Notice the hazy light appearing at the top of the windows

Mahogany wainscot, balusters, handrails, and brackets featuring lotus and squash blossoms adorn Drayton Hall's stair hall.

A sketch of the house Richmond Bowens ( ) lived in as a child. Mr. Bowens was the descendant of enslaved Africans who lived and worked at Drayton Hall.

One of the earliest records in the possession of Drayton Hall is the estate list of John Drayton's father, Thomas. This document, dated 1724, includes the names and occupations of several dozen enslaved people. John Drayton inherited one-third of this population upon his father's death, and he likely brought them with him to Drayton Hall when he purchased the property.

Surviving members of the Drayton and Bowens families in this rare photograph

Kingsley Plantation

Plantation History In 1814, Zephaniah Kingsley moved to Fort George Island and established a plantation. He brought a wife and three children. His wife, Anna Madgigine Jai, was from Sengal, Africa, and was purchased by Kingsley as a slave. She actively participated in plantation management, acquiring her own land and slaves when freed by Kingsley in 1811.

View of the rear of the house from the Ft. George River

Sea Island cotton was the primary crop that was acquired thru slaves using the “task system”. The slaves were allowed to spend the rest of the day how they chose once the task of the day was carried out.

In 1837, Kingsley moved his family to Haiti to escape a “spirit of intolerant prejudice”. He then established a colony for his family and some of his former slaves. In 1839, Fort George Island was sold to his nephew Kingsley Beatty Gibbs.

View from the rear of the house overlooking the Ft. George River

The slave cabins were arranged in a semicircle located about a fifth of a mile from the plantation. Today, there are still remains of 25 of the original 32 ‘tabby’ cabins.

Florida Expert on Kingsley Plantation

Image courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina /press_gallery.html back-in-time-at-kingsley-plantation ZI SOURCES