Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site

I can’t do this place justice with a review! What an absolute treasure! Two families had lived in this house during the course of it’s life. The building predates the Civil War, and there are two slave cabins intact and you can see one with original furniture and photos. Though this place is stunningly beautiful, what sets us apart from other plantations is the fact that they have so many records in such great detail, we may understand what life was like for both the plantation owner, and the slaves who worked the land. Upon the end of the Civil War, many of the families who were previously slaves stayed on as sharecroppers and many of their descendants worked the land as paid employees. The original owner of the plantation kept meticulous journal of everything from his dalliances to what was planted in what quantities each year, the amount it cost per slave to maintain the operation, the allowance and clothing issue to each slave, the privileges and punishments for rule violations, quotas of work and other minute details of day-​to-​day operations. The family donated not only the land, the buildings, and the original furniture, but also the unedited journals. Because of this fact we now understand much more than we ever would has the record keeping been so detailed. The fact that the family live there until 1975, and some of the descendants of the slaves lived there till 1990, the amount of information is overwhelming in a good way!
This place can be hard to find, as its on a one lane clay and gravel road through a rural community with several different houses ranging from plantation to mobile homes. There wasn’t a sign from the highway but it’s on Redcliffe Rd.
No tours are available on Tuesday or Wednesday but you can still walk the grounds.

My sister, mom and I came here from Columbia. My sister had heard great things about it at her job. We ate lunch in Aiken and then drove here for the 3:00 tour.
When you drive up, you head down a dirt road. When you arrive there is a little office/​gift shop on your right. That’s where you buy your ticket, and of course a few souvenirs.
The place is gorgeous! Such a lovely plantation. And there is so much history here to this place. The house is so amazing and very well kept. It was donated to the State with all the furniture and other memorabilia.
Our tour guide was amazing. She knew absolutely everything and answered every question with ease. She can tell so many stories. I just couldn’t quit taking pictures. It’s just so wonderful there.
From the second floor of the house, you can see the Savannah River. The plantation sits on the top of a hill.
They still have a few of the slave quarters and the horse stable. There’s even an old carriage next to the horse stable.
This place is definitely worth taking the time to visit. They even have books in the gift shop that tell more about the history and all the people that lived in this wonderful place.

What a great day we had! The caretaker was so knowledgeable. My 5 year old loves to ask many questions and he was kind enough to indulge her. The slave quarters had a great impact on my me and my children. This was such a great visual and physical stimuli for the my little homeschooling! Not was my elder daughter able to explain the importance of American Revolution (for African Americans), but also comprehend what slaves had to endure.
Bravo! A definite must see for anyone who are interested in history!

We decided to stop here today on our way home from Savannah, GA back home to Ohio and we were so glad that we did! The tour times were 11am, 1pm and 3 pm. The guided tour lasted nearly 2 full hours and was so much more than we expected. We found out that they offer a more in depth tour a few times a year that will enable you to see even more of the home. The tour consisted of the plantation home, some of the grounds and slave quarters. The guide was so informative and obviously cares so much about the grounds and the history here. She raised so many wonderful questions and really was well educated for speaking to the group. The gift shop was a newer addition and had clean restrooms, and more information on the family and the slaves that inhabited this plantation. Insightful, meaningful and touched on such an important part of American history. Glad we went and would encourage anyone to go out of their way to see this as well and support this preservation! The $ 5 admission fee could have easily been $ 20 and have still been a value!

I recently took a trip down to Beech Island, SC to visit the Redcliffe Plantation for their descendant celebration. I found out that my great great grandmother worked at this house in the early part of the 19^th century and contributed to the plantations history.
This plantation sits on 399 acres of land and is one of the smallest plantations in Beech Island. The grounds of the plantation are beautiful, and you can see how nice it really is once you are on the second floor of the house.
If you have questions about the house or its grounds, the park interpreter is very knowledgeable and friendly. She was very helpful during the tour, and seems to love her job. She probably knows more family history than the actual descendants of the plantation. If you are ever in the area, and love history like I do, you may want to stop in and take a tour.