James Island, SC - Attractions

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McLeod Plantation - James Island

McLeod Plantation - James Island

McLeod Plantation - James Island

325 Country Club Drive
Charleston, SC  29412
(843) 762-9514

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 9:00a - 4:00p

McLeod Plantation was established in 1851 on 37 acres of land. The construction of the manor house begin in 1858 by William McLeod. The manor house remains on the property today with an oak-line drive to the manor. The manor house was constructed in the Georgian style. Years later the front and rear of the house were reversed, and the front facade was altered. Sea Island cotton was cultivated on the 37-acre site by African-American slaves. The plantation is a significant Gullah heritage site that has been preserved in recognition of its cultural and historical importance.

The plantation was occupied by Confederate forces during most of the Civil War and the house was used as a Confederate hospital. The plantation was also used as a burial ground for slaves and Union soldiers.

The plantation grounds include a riverside outdoor pavilion, the McLeod Oak considered to be over 600 years old, six clapboard slave cabins, a detached kitchen, a dairy building, a pre-war gin house for long-staple cotton, a barn, and a carriage house.

The McLeods live on the plantation until the last surviving family member, William McLeod, died in 1990. Mr. McLeod left the property to the Historic Charleston Foundation.

Visitors can tour the homes and compare the McLeod family home with the ones built for the slaves, learn about the daily life and relationships between men, women, and children, and study the cultivation and importance of Sea Island cotton.

Today, the McLeod Plantation lies in the heart of the busy commercial district on James Island.