Wormsloe (Chatham County, Georgia)

My next stop on my way home from the Daufuskie Island Half-Marathon sees visiting Wormsloe. Many times, I've seen images of a long straight road lined on either side by hundreds of large evenly spaced live oaks with old man's beard dangling from the limbs. This image is the entrance to Wormsloe. The trees were planted around the turn of the 20th century and remain a popular subject of photographers to this day.

Back in the late 1730's and English colonist built the first structure on this site, a large, fortified dwelling made from tabby (a form of concrete using oyster shells) and was meant as a defensive position should the Spanish attack the area. After a short hike down the Avenue of Oaks, I head through the woods to the structure. Though only a few sections of wall remain, it's a remarkable site to see this kind of construction. Frank Lloyd Wright would be proud of the use of indigenous materials to create such a place.

From here, I head further into the property, which is somewhat confusingly referred to as a plantation. After a little research, it seems the estate did once serve as a small plantation, but the structures associated with that time are still inhabited by descendants of the original owners and not open to the public. Just beyond the ruins of the tabby house, a wooden observation deck has been constructed to allow visitors to look out on the seemingly endless salt-water marshes that constitute the southern border of the property. I would imagine this marsh is full of amphibious life such as turtles and alligators, but it's probably a little to cold for them to be active today. Regardless, I'm not going for a swim here anytime soon. Just a short distance beyond the deck, a small colonial-style dwelling has been reconstructed, complete with an outdoor bread oven and blacksmith's forge. Apparently, re-enactments of colonial life are sometimes performed here, but I would imagine those performances have been temporarily cancelled in lieu of the pandemic.

From here, I take a parallel trail back to the parking area, having walked approximately a mile-and-a-half. It's a very interesting site with a rich history. If you're ever in the area, it's worth a peek.