Ravenwood Plantation, historic rice plantation in Colleton County, South Carolina
Ravenwood Plantation is a historic farm in Colleton County, South Carolina, covering about 300 acres with a main house built around 1840 as a two-story wooden structure with a front porch and later-added wings. The property retains well-preserved rice fields with canals and dikes dating from the early 1800s, arranged in groups along Chessey Creek.
The plantation was established around 1840 by George Washington Oswald as a rice-growing operation requiring substantial fresh water to maintain the fields. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 in recognition of its role in South Carolina's agricultural history.
The plantation reflects regional building traditions through its two-story wooden structure with a five-bay front and square post porch typical of Carolina farms. The architectural style shows how local craftspeople constructed homes suited to the climate and available materials of the era.
The property is privately owned and not open for public access, though it can be viewed from public roads and nearby areas. Research materials and historical information are available through the South Carolina Department of Archives and History for those interested in learning more.
Unlike the larger coastal tidal rice fields famous in Carolina, Ravenwood operated smaller inland rice fields that relied on canal and dike systems for irrigation rather than tidal flow. This different farming approach shows how interior planters managed water resources to grow rice in areas without coastal advantages.
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