Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (Video!)

A Visit to Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

We were finishing our visit to Charleston, SC and we did obtain the cancellation stamp for the Charles Pinckney NHS at Fort Sumter, but we could not go home without trying to view the site itself. We knew the house and visitor center were not open, presumable due to staffing shortages.

Arriving at Charles Pinckney NHS

It is a very small unit for the NPS, and I can certainly understand that challenge. Only about 20 minutes north of Charleston and embedded in suburbia, we arrived well before the grounds were supposed to open at 9am. I was almost resigned to the fact that I would have to view the site from the roadside. However, we were pleasantly surprised that the gate was not locked. We Win!

There is a large pavilion right next to the parking lot which has some information displays and a restroom. It looks like if the house is open, there are exhibits and more detail on the Snee farm and the family itself.

The Pinckney Family History

Even without this, we were able to get a basic understanding of the family’s role in US history. A veteran of the Revolutionary war and signer of the US Constitution, he helped write South Carlonia’s constitution in 1790. He was a prisoner of war, lawyer, politician and plantation owner. It must be noted that he was an ardent defender of slavery, which given his ownership of large indigo and rice plantations in the south, cannot be too surprising.

Plantation Grounds and House

The location is very beautiful, with the Spanish moss on the trees and property itself being in a very quiet location. It is a shame that not more is done to communicate the complexities of this individual, his time and place in history.

I found the history of the park itself interesting. This site was on the verge of being plowed over by developers to make yet another suburban subdivision, when local volunteers raised funds to buy back the land and donate it to the NPS. Shows that sometimes local efforts can make a difference.