A new historic site. An untold story.

McLeod Plantation Historic Site

Charleston, South Carolina

How do you tell a story that has historically gone untold?

McLeod Plantation had never been open to the public when the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) acquired the site in 2011. As interpreters, we approached the story as a blank slate, crafting a narrative rooted in truth. Who does this place really represent? What was life for those who called this place home—whether by choice, by necessity, or under slavery?

McLeod represents a Transition To Freedom; a transition that continues today. Every great story serves as a launching point to the next page, chapter, and book. From our foundation of interpretive planning, and the initial participation of descendant voices in that project, the dedicated interpreters of CCPRC continue to discover and share the perspectives of the African American descendant community. Doing so—telling the story that has historically gone untold by others of its kind—is fundamental to the site’s very purpose.

Above: a wayside interprets the African American cemetery.
Right: the Welcome Center juxtaposes the cotton gin, symbol of labor on the plantation, with a batteau, symbol of freedom and movement on the adjacent Wappoo Creek.

  • Interpretive planning: site analysis, audience analysis, media selection and planning
  • Theme writing: developing the “Big Idea” for the site, and its supporting concepts
  • Scriptwriting and editing for exhibit and wayside labels
  • Subcontractor management: mobile app developer, illustrator, animator
  • Community engagement: public presentations, stakeholder review, Gullah-Geechee voices featured in the app

Let’s talk about it!

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