Located along the Ashley River in Charleston, Middleton Place and its landscape are rare survivors of the American Revolution, Civil War, economic upheaval, and repeated natural disasters. Established in 1675, this National Historic Landmark is deeply embedded in the nation’s complex history, reflecting both the legacy of the Middleton family and the lives and labor of the enslaved Africans and African Americans who lived and worked on the land. NBW was engaged to lead a master planning process for the 110-acre campus grounded in a comprehensive study of its cultural landscape.
The design team conducted extensive site investigations to document existing conditions and systems, including soils, hydrology, circulation, land use, programming, events, and operations. LiDAR analysis revealed significant cultural landscape features, particularly those associated with historic agricultural production. Using a Digital Elevation Model populated with U.S. Geological Survey data, the team modeled the bare-earth topography to better understand terrain characteristics and historic land-forming processes.
Drawing on this research, the team developed a detailed landscape timeline that traces key periods from Indigenous lifeways, past and present, through the pre- and post-Civil War eras, and the site’s transition into a public historic landscape. This work was critical in identifying lost or obscured heritage characteristics, including substantial changes made between 1910 and 1930 and the presence of an Enslaved Peoples Descendant Community in the area now occupied by the stable yard complex. The research also underscored the importance of preserving intact historic vistas, both internal and external, that remain central to the original landscape design intent.
