Overview | Location and Hours | Offerings
Walnut Grove Plantation - Offerings
When you come to Walnut Grove
Plantation, you will be offered a guided tour of the manor home, the
kitchen, and Rocky Spring Academy. Your interpreter will share details
about the home, its furnishings, and the lives of the people who lived
here. (Guided tours are offered on the hour.) Most Saturdays, you can find
our blacksmith Bruce Mills hard at work at the forge. We also invite
you to take a leisurely stroll around the grounds to view the other
buildings and just enjoy the beauty of the site. Bring a picnic lunch
to enjoy under the shade of the pavilion at one of the picnic tables.
Drink machines and trash receptacles are located in the pavilion.
You
can also take a walk on the Walnut Grove Plantation Nature Trail, which
winds through a wooded area from the pavilion to the Moore family
cemetery. The trail is an easy path
with the appropriate footwear. While on the trail you'll see some
spectacular native trees, including Red Cedar, Black Walnut, White Oak,
and a variety of Hollies. You will also see some newer additions
including hydrangea, strawberry bush, Virginia sweetspire, and turkey feather.
When you reach the Moore Family cemetery, you'll see
two types of markers. Upright, carved tombstones are used primarily
for the family members and include Charles and Mary Moore, son Dr. Andrew Barry Moore, a physician,
and daughter Kate Moore Barry, a Revolutionary War scout. The earliest
tombstones date from 1793 and 1805. You'll also see small round field
stones that were typical grave markers in the Backcountry. These mark
the graves of those who died on the plantation beginning in 1763 and
likely include the graves of those who lived on the plantation,
the enslaved African Americans who helped work the plantation, and even some neighbors from surrounding settlements. The cemetery is the resting place of
at least 146 people. We ask that while you are visiting the cemetery
you use caution around the graves, refrain from touching the stones, and stay on the path.
Special events are scheduled throughout the year and allow visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves into the daily life of the late 18th century. See the events page for more details.
Want to know more?
In 1961, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Moore Craig, Sr. donated Walnut Grove Plantation with eight acres of land to the Spartanburg County Foundation in a special trust fund. The Association is the sponsor for the trust. On October 15, 1967, the restoration was dedicated and opened to the public. During the six years prior to the opening, numerous volunteers, including invaluable assistance from members of the Junior League, researched and acquired period furnishings for the historical site. Several structures were moved onto the Plantation to complete the restoration.
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