Near Augusta Is A Former Southern Plantation That's Now A Historic State Park

The southeastern United States draws in tourists with beaches, famous southern eats, and charming cities, but there are also hundreds of historic sites. Many of these reflect troubling aspects of U.S. history. Therefore, they now often combine tourism with impactful education. A prime example of this experience is the 369-acre Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, located just minutes across Augusta, Georgia's border with South Carolina. The SC African American Heritage Commission even included it on their list of Top Ten Sites to Visit in South Carolina.

Wealthy politician and cotton planter James Henry Hammond owned the Redcliffe Plantation, as did his family for generations to follow. A tour through the home features artifacts from its construction in 1859, all the way to the 1970s, which is when Hammond's great-grandson offered the plantation to the South Carolina Park Service (1973). Similar to other plantation homes of the South, the Redcliffe Plantation is quite elegant, sporting a white-pillared porch common for the era. Still, visiting the property doesn't simply show off Hammond's influence and wealth.

Much of the Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site is dedicated to preserving the memories of the families once enslaved here. There are two 1850s slave cabins on-site, providing a sobering contrast to the opulence of Hammond's home. Between 20 and 50 slaves lived at Redcliffe, although James Henry Hammond's total throughout his life was around 300. Redcliffe Plantation interprets the history of multiple generations of families on the property that were enslaved, or who worked as sharecroppers or paid employees after the Civil War, which began at now historic sites in Charleston, 140 miles (about a two and a half hour drive) away.

Today, the Redcliffe Plantation is more than its unfortunate past, as the property allows you to enjoy some of South Carolina's nature via trails and dozens of magnolia trees that were planted in 1860. Redcliffe Plantation's three walking trails combine views of the mansion with its surrounding woods. From the entrance gate, follow the fence to find the trails, which add up to 1.7 miles in length. For more places in South Carolina full of history and peaceful nature, head to St. Helena on the coast, located 115 miles (about a two-hour and 20-minute drive) from Redcliffe Plantation and 80 miles (about a one-hour and 45-minute drive) from Charleston.