By Way of the Back Door

Every Saturday during the month of February, Historic Brattonsville will feature special guided tours that interpret African-American history and culture in the Carolina Piedmont. “By Way of the Back Door” presents tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. that tell the stories of the enslaved families and their way of life from the American Revolution to the Reconstruction Era. Explore the 18th-century home of Col. William Bratton and the structures of the antebellum era with period-dressed interpreters. A Q&A opportunity concludes the tour. Ongoing activities include historical cooking over wood fires.

“By Way of the Back Door” is an essential part of the living history programming at Historic Brattonsville and offers a deeper interpretation of African-American culture. The program’s narrative includes both scholarly research and the collective memories of descendants of Bratton slaves.

“By Way of the Back Door” will be held every Saturday in February from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with special guided tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Admission: Adult, $8; Senior, $7; Youth ages 4-17, $5; CHM members and children 3 and under are admitted free.

Historic Brattonsville is located at 1444 Brattonsville Road, McConnells, S.C. 29726. For more information, call (803) 684-2327 or go to www.chmuseums.org.

Historic Brattonsville features over 30 Colonial and antebellum structures, including two house museums. The plantation spreads over 800 acres and includes farmed land with heritage breed animals, a Revolutionary War battlefield site and a nature preserve with miles of walking trails. Seasonal events, reenactments and living-history programs interpret Carolina backcountry life from the 1760s to the late 19th century. Historic Brattonsville is part of Culture and Heritage Museums of York County, S.C. The mission of Culture and Heritage Museums is to communicate and preserve the natural and cultural histories of the Carolina Piedmont.