72nd Annual Plantation and Town Home Tours

Georgetown, South Carolina, founded in 1729, is located in the heart of an area which was once the epitome of genteel southern society prior to the Civil War. The indigo and rice planters of the 18th and 19th centuries rose to a level of wealth that at one time made Georgetown County the wealthiest county in the entire United States.

Dozens of elegant plantation homes and gardens left by these elite gentlemen surround the town along our five rivers, and many of the homes built by them along the city streets remain beautifully appointed. Old slave cabins can still be seen on several of the properties. Even the elegant furnishings often have a tale to tell, whether brought over the Atlantic on a colonial crossing or bundled to the piedmont for refuge during the Civil War. The antebellum plantation culture also produced a rich heritage among the slaves known as Gullah. Many elements of Gullah are still with us today.

Every spring, the Women of Prince George Winyah Episcopal Church host a Plantation and Town Home Tour. The dates of the 2019 event are Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30. Our visitors are able to go inside most of these elegant dwellings and take a step back in time. The tour begins at the Church Parish Hall, where visitors pick up maps, brochures and bag lunches. Beautiful artwork from the Georgetown Watercolor Society, homemade treats and our national award-winning Plantation Tours and Tastes cookbooks are all available for purchase, as well as publications from the Georgetown Historical Society. At day’s end, visitors are invited to the very popular Tea, hosted by the ladies of Prince George Winyah at the historic Winyah Indigo Society Hall.

All monies raised by the Plantation Tours are allocated to local mission work and to the preservation of our historic church buildings. Our success over the years has truly made a difference in the lives of the poor, the friendless and the needy in our community, which is our prayerful aim in this endeavor.

Tickets are available by mail, in advance. Single-day tickets are $45 each and two-day tickets are $80. Advance ticket sales are underway from Feb. 4 until March 15, 2019. A limited number of tickets are available at the door on both tour days. The complete list of plantations and homes sites that are featured on tour, and advance ticket and lunch requests, may be found on our plantation tour’s website at www.princegeorgeplantationtours.com.

For more information please call Lisa Collins at (843) 545-8291. Forms and requests for tickets may be mailed to Plantation Tours Tickets, P.O. Box 1307, Georgetown, South Carolina, 29442. We will also be posting news and updates to our Facebook page, PG Plantation Tours, so be sure to like and follow us!