Annandale Plantation, Georgetown South Carolina

Date added: May 23, 2025

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Annandale Plantation, originally named Millbrook, the site of the first tide-operated rice mill constructed in the state, is one of South Carolina's finest remaining examples of the rice plantation era. During the 1850s, Annandale was among the most prosperous of the rice plantations, working approximately 230 slaves and producing 900,000 pounds of rice. It was later the property of George Alfred Trenholm, the Treasurer of the Confederate States of America.

The original ownership may be traced to Andrew Johnston (1748-1795) who acquired the property prior to 1791. Andrew was a son of Archibald Johnston, who owned Estherville Plantation in Georgetown County. Andrew's son William (1774-1840) inherited the property and bequeathed it in turn to his son Andrew (1805-1864) who built the present plantation house in 1833, changed the spelling of the Johnston name to Johnstone, and renamed the plantation Annandale after the birthplace of his ancestors in Annandale, Scotland. Trenholm bought the plantation in 1863; his son-in-law sold it to the Santee Rice Company in 1898; and in 1911 it was sold to Wayne Darlington. In 1919 it was acquired by the Reeves family of North Carolina which restored the plantation home and preserved the extant outbuildings.

Between 1791 and 1792 Jonathan Lucas, inventive genius of the rice industry, built the first tide-operated rice mill at Annandale, then called Millbrook. The tidal irrigation system was a tremendous advance over the older reserve operation method and had supplemented the old system within 50 years. During the last years of the 18^th Century, many plantation owners had their rice processed at Millbrook.

This two-story Greek revival structure is an excellent example of its style and period and the giant-order quasi-tuscan portico sets it off splendidly. The double entrance with paneled doors is flanked to either side by a 9/9 double-sided window and the entrance itself is topped with a large opaque fan with radiating muntins. Second-story windows to the front of the house are 6/6 double sash with a smaller single window between them with inset horizontal paneling under it to create the impression of a balcony. All sash and trim appear to be original.

All interior molding details in the front of the house are original; they include paneled doors, window frames and sills, and beaded baseboards. Window frame and door frame treatments are extremely similar and all are in an excellent state of preservation. The mantels are a simple classic revival design the architraves of which are supported by an attenuated quasi-Doric column and plinth to either side.

Second-story rooms (five bedrooms) all have simpler detail work than those of the first floor.

Annandale is one of the finest plantation houses in the Waccamaw region and has been maintained in excellent condition.

George Alfred Trenholm, Confederate Secretary of the Treasury from June 18^th, 1864 until April 7^th, 1865, purchased Annandale on August 8^th, 1863. Born in Charleston, Trenholm became a wealthy influential merchant while working for John Frazer and Company, an extensive shipping firm. His lifelong interest in politics also led him to run for a seat on the State Legislature, where he served two years before his death.

Property Description

Annandale is a two-story Greek revival clapboard mansion house of excellent architectonic quality. The large triangular pedimented portico is supported by four giant-order Tuscan columns; the pediment is only slightly marred by the later addition of a vent. The first-floor facade has a 9/9 double sashed window to either side of the excellent double entrance which is capped with a large opaque fan with radiating muntins. The second-story windows are 6/6 with a smaller single window centered between them. Horizontal paneling set in the clapboard below this window creates the impression of a small balcony. All sash and trim appear to be original, including the three-panel shutters and the blind stops. A rear addition was skillfully integrated into the existing structure ca. 1880; an additional wing to the north was constructed in 1966.

The double entrance doors open into two nearly identical front rooms; there is no entrance hall. Spaces between window sills and baseboards are paneled; the window frames themselves rest on plinth blocks. The detail on the window frames is the most important design feature of Annandale. The frames consist of intricately molded panels intersecting with the top frame. This treatment is repeated in the door frames and, similarly, in the window reveals. All doors are six-paneled (2/2/2), and the floors are original and in excellent repair. The mantels are a simple classic revival design; the architraves, with projecting shelves, are supported by two attenuated quasi-Doric columns resting upon plinths.

A large room to the rear of the two front rooms retains the original door land window trim, mantel, and baseboard, but the cornice and door are later. The original butterfly hinges have been replaced with 19^th Century self-closing hinges. A second room, to the rear of this room, served as the plantation office and was added to the main house at an early date, retaining the original floor, paneling and Greek revival mantel. The remainder of the first floor is later (ca. 1966).

The second story contains five bedrooms, but all with simpler detail work than those on the first floor.

Situated in a grove of live oaks and landscaped gardens, Annandale plantation includes two existing outbuildings: a slave cabin which has been converted into a recreation building, and the plantation doctor's house, now a residence.