If you’re heading to Charleston, one place that should be at the top of your list of sights to see is the one and only Boone Hall Plantation.
One of the main features that draws people to Boone Hall, are its live oak trees, trees believed to have been planted in the year of 1743, by Thomas, son of John Boone. Though, others believe the trees (usually referred to as the Avenue of Oaks) were actually established 100 years later, by the Horlbeck family in 1843.
No matter the artist, the trees were evenly planted so that they would eventually grow in perfectly arranged rows. It is for these idyllic details that the Avenue of Oaks, has been featured in nationally accredited magazines, countless television programs, and films.
Centuries later, the Avenue of Oaks are a goliath of forestry, with limbs swooped around in all directions like the tracks of a rollercoaster. Each tree is a perfectly aged work of art, a majestic setting that has stolen the spotlight from many happy couples posing for the wedding pictures.
The Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens of Charleston County, is one of the prized locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The exact origin of Boone Hall Plantations is hard to determine, but the first known date of reference occurred in the year of 1681. It was in that year, on the 7th of September, a man by the name of Theophilus Patey (with a name like that, he’s lucky that he wasn’t born in this era) was granted 470 acres of land near the Wampacheeoone Creek.
But, while Patey had ownership of the land, it’s a mystery as to what, if anything he ever did with the massive property. Until, he gifted 400 acres of the land to his daughter Elizabeth and her new husband John Boone as a wedding gift. It was on this land where the Boone Hall Plantation would be built.
John Boone, would later add to the property, when he acquired the rest of the land around Wampacheeoone Creek, which was renamed Boone Hall Creek. Another mystery about the property is the actual date of when Boone built his grand house.
What is known, is that Boone arrived to the colony in 1672, and was one of the first people to settle in the area. He made an instant impact in the community, and was elected to the Grand Council. However, he was not without controversy as he was removed from the council on two occasions.
The controversy around Boone arose from his role in the dealing of Indian slaves, consorting with pirates, and concealing items which were illegally obtained. Despite, his miscreant behavior, his political career went untarnished, as he held several other offices, including highway commissioner and tax assessor.
Keeping with the theme of uncertainty, the year of John Boone’s death is also unknown. It is believed that he departed sometime between 1711-1718. Most tend to lean closer to the estimation of 1711, as it was the year in which his will was made.
A third of Boone’s estate was willed to his wife, Elizabeth, the rest of the property was shared amongst he and Elizabeth’s children: Thomas, Theophilus, Susanna, Sarah, and Mary.
The Boone Hall home went to the eldest son, Thomas, who upon his own passing (in 1749) left the home to his son, John.
To keep things confusing, this John Boone willed (in 1776) Boone Hall to a third John Boone (really—there are other names in the world). Also, willed to the third John Boone, were nine slaves. For unspecified reasons, in the will, it was requested that these nine particular slave be kept together.
By the 1792, the third John had died and left the plantation to his wife and children. Nearly, twenty years later, she sold the estate to Thomas A. Vardell for the sum of $12,000.
A mere six years later, the Boone Hall changed hands again, when Vardell sold the property to a group of men: John Johnson Jr., Hugh Patterson, and George K. White. Vardell owed the men a great deal of money, and to settle his debts, he sold the estate, including the slaves for the grand total of one dollar.
It appears the three men Vardell owed, were not all that interested in the plantation, as they quickly sold Boone Hall to Henry and John Horlbeck. The Horlbeck Brothers, operated in the brick business, building some of the most historic homes of Charleston that still stand to this very day.
In 1842 Henry’s sons: Henry Jr., Daniel, Edward, and John were put in charge of running the plantation. Sometime during the Horlbeck family era, they planted pecan trees on the land, and by the late 1800s Boone Hall had become one of the United States leading producers of pecans.
Sometime, in the year of 1902, the reigning Horlbeck in charge, John S. Horlbeck reached a deal with the Dorchester Land and Timber Company, that gave the company the timber rights of Boone Hall for the next five years. All oak and pine trees that exceeded 10 inches were fair game, with the obvious exception of the trees that made up the Avenue of Oaks.
After owning Boone Hall, for nearly 150 years, the Horlbeck family sold the estate to Thomas Archibald Stone and his wife in the year of 1935. However, the sale stipulated that the Horlbeck family maintained the right of harvesting the existing crop. Though, this did not include the rights to the pecan crop.
Almost immediately after taking ownership of the estate, the Stones demolished the old plantation house, and just a year later (in 1936) the new Boone Hall house was completed.
For reasons unknown, after only four years, the Stones sold Boone Hall to Dimitri and Audrey Djordjadze, who in turn sold the estate five years later to Dr. Henry Deas.
A decade later (in 1955), the Boone Hall was sold yet again, this time to Harris and Nancy McRae. The McRae family were very interested in the farming of the land, in particularly the couple was proud of the peach crop. I guess you don’t have to be in Georgia to be a peach.
Realizing that there was a market in giving tours of the plantation, The McRaes opened Boone Hall up to the public in the year of 1959. This allowed people to get up close and really experience Boone Hall and their beloved Avenue of Oaks.
In the years to follow, Boone Hall was used as a filming location for ABC’s mini-series North and South, based on John Jakes’ novels. And, a second time for the Alex Haley’s mini-series, Queen. Nearly a decade later, Boone Hall was again used as a filming location, this time for The Notebook.
Today, Boone Hall is still owned by the McRae family, now run by the couple’s son, William H. McRae. The historic estate is still open for tours and events, while a portion of the property continues to function as a farm.
But, there is nothing at Boone Hall, quite as impactful as “Slave Street,” a collection of cabins constructed between the years of 1790-1810. To honor and illustrate the struggles these poor souls experienced, Boone Hall offers the “Black History In America” exhibit, which is available all year.
While, the beauty of Boone Hall is undeniable, it is important to remember that it is a plantation and as such, it has a long and dark history of slavery. The historic grounds of Boone Hall are a virtual burial site of the enslaved souls who were tortured and worked to death.
The conditions were especially dire under the Horlbeck family’s brickyard reign, an era in which the family had enslaved up to 225 people. It’s believed by many that the restless spirits of the departed slaves haunt the estate of Boone Hall.
Reportedly, there have been countless sightings of the ghosts of these slaves throughout the years. Two of the most frequently seen spirits are the ghosts of a slave girl and boy. The backstory for both of these young ghostly souls remain a mystery and a source of great sadness.
Another, spirit that has been seen at Boone Hall, appears along the creek near an old brick kiln chimney. The ghost appears to be a woman, in tattered clothing. Her face has never been seen, as her long hair drapes over, concealing her identity. She, usually is only seen for a short while, before fading into thin air.
While, paranormal encounters at Boone Hall are not uncommon in the least, it’s hard to determine just how many ghost roam the property’s grounds. Some, believe that there are at least ten ghosts who haunt Boone Hall.
Perhaps, the best known ghost story at Boone Hall is “the 13th Step.” It’s a tale that dates back to the 1700s. A girl by the name of Ammie Jenkins lived on the plantation, her best friend was a Native American boy of similar age named Concha.
As the two friends grew in age, so did their love for each other. On Concha 18th birthday, he asked Ammie to marry him, but wary as to what her parents would do, she turned down his proposal.
Later, that year Ammie was proposed to again, but this time by someone her parents would approve of. The very night before she was to be wed, Ammie in her room, began pacing restlessly. So, she decided to open her bedroom window for some fresh air, but almost as soon as she had opened the window, and arrow came flying through, striking her in the chest, piercing her heart.
She looked outside, and there she saw Concha standing with a bow in his hand, she no longer saw the boy she once knew, all she saw now was anger. In her weakened state, Ammie staggered out of her room to the stairs. Hearing the commotion, her fiancé rushed to her as she fell down to the 13th step, where she ultimately died in his arms.
On occasion, people who have visited the home, have claimed to have seen a pool of blood on the 13th step. But, upon calling attention to the occurrence, the blood mysteriously vanishes from sight.
Other guests of the house have reportedly even seen a ghost of a young woman, appearing to be wounded as she lays across the 13th step, only for her spirit to disappear moments later.
The Boone Hall Plantation is located at 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. While the mansion of Boone Hall Plantation is not the original structure, this 1936 house built by Thomas Stone is furnished with antiques and other historical items to recreate Boone Hall’s storied past, dating back to 1681.
Widely recognized as the number 1 plantation in the Charleston area, Boone Hall proudly offers a myriad of tours each created to enthral and educate every guest.
Knowing the importance of sharing history, Boone Hall offer guests a live presentation title "Exploring The Gullah Culture," this presentation was designed to allow visitors the opportunity to experience the spiritual and cultural influences of the African Slaves.
The “Black History In America” exhibit is Boone Hall’s acclaimed self guided walk through the original slave cabins of the plantation. The exhibit tells the story of what daily life was like for the slaves, their work, struggles, and strength. Whilst among these historic cabins, you can feel their haunting presence, still looming, searching for peace.