Boone Hall Plantation Tour

Boone Hall Plantation Tour -- Step into history, as you walk Boone Hall Plantation's historic "Avenue of Oaks" and explore its famous grounds and gardens. Come to Boone Hall Plantation to see a way of life that is now just a ghost of the past....a memory of a time when the South lived by agriculture alone.

As you tour each site on the plantation our knowledgable staff will help you understand the day to day activities of those who lived on plantations as well the history of the people who lived here at Boone Hall.

Boone Hall Plantation - located about ten miles from downtown Charleston - has been open to the public since 1959. The McRae Family purchased the plantation in 1955 and it was Mrs. McRae who furnished the house with antiques and began giving tours. Today, the McRae Family still owns the property, and they continue to make improvements to the plantation so that you, the visitor, can experience what plantation life was like in the 1800s.

This is the plantation that was used in the filming of the ABC mini-series, "North and South".

House Tours

As part of the admission to the plantation every visitor will be able to have a guided tour of the 1936 Mansion located at the end of the Oak Avenue. The house was built in 1936 by Thomas Stone, the owner at the time. During the tour visitors will learn about the construction of the house as well as the other families that once owned Boone Hall. A knowledgable Guide will introduce visitors to life on plantations and the agriculture that sustained these plantations throughout the 1700's and 1800's.

The tours are limited to 35 people at a time to ensure a quality tour. On busy days our staff may mark your ticket with the next available house time. This will allow visitors to tour the gardens and slave quarters while waiting to see the house.

The tour lasts approximately 30 minutes. There are some steps as you go through the first level. Because of fire codes and insurance restrictions, the second floor of the house is not open to the public.

Photography, food, and pets are not permitted in the house. Parents of an active child are asked to take turns viewing the house as a courtesy to other visitors.

SLAVE CABINS

Tour one of the few remaining slave streets in America, built around 1800 these cabins were home to the skilled and house slaves of Boone Hall Plantation. A guide will answer your questions about the one room structures, the garden, and swept yards. Nearby, a sweetgrass artisan demonstrates the sewing of baskets, a skill brought from Africa.

BUTTERFLY PAVILION

Observe different species of Butterflies in their natural habitat.
View up close butterfly eggs, caterpillars and chrysalis.
Learn what to plant in your own yard to attract butterflies.
Relax in our Education Center while watching a Butterfly Video.
Try our new snack bar which features HOMEMADE ICE CREAM.

"Happiness is a Butterfly, which, when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." ~HAWTHORNE

GARDENS

The formally designed beds of the Garden at Boone Hall Plantation, laid out in the pattern of a butterfly's wings, are filled with many plants important in South Carolina's horticultural history.

Antique roses form the structure of the garden and are underplanted with many plants that have been grown in South Carolina for generations.

Especially important is our collection of Noisette Roses, a class of roses which originated in Charleston in the early 1800s.

AVENUE OF OAKS

In its three centiries Boone Hall Plantation has remained privately owned, and each owner has left his influence on the venerable old estate. Captain Thomas Boone , a son of Major John Boone, left a touch overshadowing that of any other owner. In 1743 he began to plant live oak trees, arranging them in two evenly spaced rows framing the approach to his home. In the mid 1800s the Horlbeck family finished the avenue which now spans a half mile. The massive, moss-draped branches meet overhead, forming a natural cathedral nave. Two centures later visitors come to Boone Hall Plantation each day to admire the living legacy of Captain Thomas Boone's forsight and imagination.

THE COMMISSARY

In 1935 Thomas and Alexandra Stone purchased Boone Hall Plantation with the intention of revitalizing the once prosperous pecan trees. The pecan trees were planted by the Horlbeck family in the mid to late 1800s, and they became the leading producer of pecans for several years. While the pecan trees were the main interest of the Stones they ultimately settled on truck farming as a way to make some money. The Commissary building that was left on the property was refitted to pay the Stones' employees. A small paymaster's window can still be seen to the right of the doors.

The commissary is now being used to display "A Diary of Boone Hall Plantation" - information and photographs from the Thomas Stone years (1935-1940). All information and photographs were obtained from the South Carolina Historical Society Collections. Thomas Stone kept an expansive journal of his time as the owner of Boone Hall.

Transportation to Boone Hall Plantation is NOT included. Child rate applies to children ages 6 to 12 (under 6 are free). Please reserve online, or call us toll-free at 888-790-1930.