The Middleton Place Stableyards is a living outdoor museum for interpreting 18th and 19th century plantation life. On Saturday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 12, from 10am to 4pm each day, The Middleton Place Foundation presents Plantation Days — an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in life as it was lived, beginning in 1741, by the first four generations of Middletons, as well as by the enslaved people who sustained the plantation until the end of the Civil War.
Over 50 historic interpreters, many in costume, and volunteers will demonstrate such skills as blacksmithing, carpentry, sugar cane pressing, tool making and hide tanning. Interpretive stations throughout the Stableyards will introduce visitors to such trades as canvas sail making, cider and wine making and more, including cooking demonstrations. “Hands-on” activities include candle making, dancing and colonial games. Horse grooming and cow milking will appeal to animal lovers. Gullah interpreter Sharon Cooper-Murray will be on hand to tell stories that illuminate the unique Gullah culture of the Low Country. And the Colonial Ladies Society will present “Her Story: Women’s Work” with demonstrations of indigo dyeing, soap making and sweetgrass basket weaving among other skills.
Plantation Days has been a Middleton Place tradition for more than 40 years and has ranked among the most popular events the Middleton Place Foundation conducts on behalf of a mission to carefully research, document and interpret plantation life.
The mission of the Middleton Place Foundation, a public non-profit educational trust, is to sustain the highest levels of preservation and interpretation for the Middleton Place National Historic Landmark, its Gardens, House, Plantation Stableyards and affiliated properties, such as the Edmondston-Alston House, and their collections and programs.
Plantation Days is held Nov. 11-12 in the stableyards at Middleton Place, located at 4300 Ashley River Road. For more information, call 556-6020 or visit www.middletonplace.org.
