Forts and Plantations

Happy Mom's Day! We didn't get underway until almost 10:30 this morning, but we still managed to cover a bit of ground. First stop was Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, about 10 miles from our hotel in Charleston*.



Ten generations of the same family have lived here since the 1670's, rebuilding when the house burned down twice. The grounds are huge and gorgeous, including lakes, swamps, pastures, gardens and wildlife areas.



Then it was on to Drayton Hall, just a mile away.



Built in 1738 and owned by one family until 1974, it's the largest unrestored plantation in the area. There are no furnishings but we enjoyed the extensive carved plaster and wood work, including the banisters of imported mahogany.



It also had the only brick privy I'ver ever seen with it's own fireplace. Practical, but a bit strange.



Boone Hall plantation was a 30 minute drive to the other side of N. Charleston, giving our feet a much needed rest.



The house is a 10,000 sq. foot replica, with a first floor open to the public. At one time, Boone Hall had the largest pecan grove in the world, until a hurricane in 1911 took out 14,000 of the 15,000 trees overnight.



The house and grounds are beautiful but the most impressive thing is the Avenue of Oaks, planted over 70 years beginning in 1743. Stunning.

Since we were right there, we took a scenic drive down the Isle of Palms (gorgeous, expensive houses) and Sullivan's Island, ending up at Fort Moultrie, just across the river from Ft. Sumter. Moultrie played a role in the American Revolution and in conflicts until 1947, when it was retired.



On the way up to Charleston, we stopped to see Ft. Pulaski,



a moated fort outside Suvannah, arriving just in time for reinactors to explain about the fort's armaments


and then to actually fire two of the cannons.



Very cool, and very loud. I think this may be my favorite part of the trip so far.


*I'm a bad blogger and haven't yet chronicled the rest of Savannah and out trip to Charlestown. Need to backtrack soon and do that.