Friendfield Plantation
National Register Listing
Street Address:
Roughly bounded by US 521--17A, the Sampit River, Whites Cr., and Creek Rd., Georgetown, SC City Vicinity (Georgetown County)
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817722037
Description and Narrative:
Friendfield Plantation is a 3,305-acre property that includes buildings, structures, roadways, woodlands, ricefield systems and sites associated with the continuing use of the land from ca. 1750 until 1946. These features illustrate its conversion from a rice plantation to a winter hunting resort into the World War II era, when Friendfield’s owners achieved a permanent balance between recreational use and sustained-yield forestry. The property consists of parts of six antebellum rice plantations: Friendfield, Mount Pleasant, Midway, Canaan, Waterfield (Westfield) and Bonny Neck. The contributing architectural and cultural resources retain integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. Overall, the property contains 23 contributing buildings, 14 contributing sites, and 15 contributing structures. The outbuildings and landscaping at Friendfield House (ca. 1931), Mount Pleasant (Silver Hill) House (ca.1794) and outbuildings, and two staff residences are typical hunting plantation features. The eighteenth century Mount Pleasant (Silver Hill) House and nineteenth century slave street are fine examples of antebellum residences on a Georgetown County rice plantation. There are also three cemeteries, several ruins with visible above-ground features, and a number of known or suspected settlement sites without above-ground elements. Five principal road systems run south toward settlement sites near the former rice fields, and are linked by two east-west systems. Engineered ricefield systems were assets to the use of the property for duck hunting. Since the 1930s, the plantation has been partitioned into four quail hunting courses, each of about 500 acres. Upland landscape patterns have served the needs of turpentine and tar makers, tenant farmers, and quail hunters. Listed in the National Register April 12, 1996.
Period of Significance:
circa 1790;circa 1830;1930;1936;circa 1750 – 1930;1930 – 1946
Level of Significance:
State
Area of Significance:
Maritime History;Agriculture;Architecture;Engineering;Entertainment/Recreation;Ethnic Heritage: Black;Industry;Landscape Architecture;Social History;Transportation
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
April 12 1996
