2019 Fall Tour

Explore the paths of early South Carolina settlers and learn about the history and preservation of several important Berkeley County sites on this self-guided, self-paced tour:

Childsbury and Strawberry Chapel: In 1707, James Child founded Childsbury on the western branch of the Cooper River, where he operated Strawberry Ferry. Situated at the farthest point that large ships could sail upriver, Childsbury became a commercial and transportation center, though it eventually declined and was absorbed into neighboring plantations. We will visit Strawberry Chapel, a 1725 chapel of ease and the only remaining building from Childsbury, and explore the history of the lost town and its Ball family connections.

Comingtee Plantation: Comingtee Plantation was established by John Coming, who landed at what is now Charles Towne Landing aboard the Carolina in 1670. The ruins of the eighteenth-century house built by Elias Ball will be open to tourgoers, and descendant Jeff Ball will discuss the early slave population and connections to the land.

Richmond Plantation: First developed by John Harleston, Richmond Plantation was one of the largest rice plantations on the eastern branch of the Cooper River in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Prominent New York financier George A. Ellis Jr. acquired the property in the late 1920s and constructed the current complex as a hunting retreat. We will tour the distinctive main house, an American interpretation of the Shavian manor style (pictured above).

Silk Hope Plantation: The earliest settlers to Carolina came in search of riches. In the late seventeenth century, Governor Nathaniel Johnson obtained a grant on the eastern branch of the Cooper River, where he experimented with both silk and rice culture. We will visit the ruins of his silkworm barn, and Richard Porcher will discuss the failed attempt to gain a foothold in silk production.

Quinby Plantation: John Ashby, who was granted the title of cassique in 1682, called his land on the eastern branch of the Cooper River “Quenby” after his ancestral home in England. We will explore the historic sites remaining on the property, including embankments from a Revolutionary War engagement that took place here in 1781.

Event Details

Date: Sunday, October 27, 2019

Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: Berkeley County, SC

Cost: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. Lunch is included in the ticket price.