Hi everyone
I'm heading back to the USA this summer with my family and will be stopping off at Charleston during a cruise. I was at Charleston last year and made a visit to Fort Sumter and this time, I've been going back and forth on the topic of visiting either Boone Hall or Magnolia.
Currently I'm in the "no" camp. Although I'm interested from a purely historic perspective, I'm aware that these plantation homes are businesses and seem to focus a lot of attention on the beauty of the "big house" and gardens and less on the slavery aspects. I think attending a tour would wind me up and I'd end up hating the experience.
I recall on an earlier, civil war focused solo trip, visiting Kenmore House in Fredericksburg and being very aware that the guide referred a lot to servants, rather than slaves. But I thought the slave exhibition at Mount Vernon was well done - perhaps as the house tour was focused on the history and the man, rather than on the beauty of the house.
Wondered what your thoughts are on the topic?
I'm heading back to the USA this summer with my family and will be stopping off at Charleston during a cruise. I was at Charleston last year and made a visit to Fort Sumter and this time, I've been going back and forth on the topic of visiting either Boone Hall or Magnolia.
Currently I'm in the "no" camp. Although I'm interested from a purely historic perspective, I'm aware that these plantation homes are businesses and seem to focus a lot of attention on the beauty of the "big house" and gardens and less on the slavery aspects. I think attending a tour would wind me up and I'd end up hating the experience.
I recall on an earlier, civil war focused solo trip, visiting Kenmore House in Fredericksburg and being very aware that the guide referred a lot to servants, rather than slaves. But I thought the slave exhibition at Mount Vernon was well done - perhaps as the house tour was focused on the history and the man, rather than on the beauty of the house.
Wondered what your thoughts are on the topic?
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