Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Cultural Landscape Report

Vincent, Susan

This Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) provides treatment recommendations for the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The primary goal is to preserve and interpret the landscape resources of the Pinckney era (1754-1817), but non-Pinckney-era features are also treated. In addition, the report provides: a) An analysis of non-Pinckney-era landscape resources, in order to determine the site’s eligibility to the National Register b) Treatment recommendations that accommodate contemporary resources, i.e., park facilities and other 20th-century landscapes features c) Guidance for the use of historical landscape resources, including vegetation and archeology, to support the interpretive goals defined in the park’s Management Objectives. Of primary concern, the park lacks guidance in determining which landscape features are Pinckney-era resources. Secondly, it is unclear how to utilize the site’s historic landscape patterns and resources, including the park facilities, which interfere with the visitor’s understanding of the Pinckney landscape. Finally, the landscape’s eligibility for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places needs to be determined. Because the Pinckney papers were destroyed during Charleston’s 1861 fire, primary sources for investigating the history of Snee Farm are scarce. Consequently, secondary sources were used to determine the site’s historical context during the Pinckney era. The review of existing park documentation included the park’s General Management Plan, Historical Overview, Interpretive Prospectus, maps, archeological reports, historical plats, deeds, photographs, and other records relevant to the project purpose. The report includes a limited investigation of the pre-Pinckney (1695-1754) and post-Pinckney (1817 to present) landscapes. A review of existing conditions (NPS) is also provided. The focus of this report was initially limited to the analysis and treatment of the site’s historic circulation patterns, relative to existing circulation patterns. Emphasis was placed on Pinckney-era resources. Additional funding allowed for subsequent analysis and the development of treatment recommendations for the vegetation and other site features in the following prioritized areas: a) The area immediately around the extant house, including the nearby woodlands b) Areas beyond the core area, including the fields, marsh, and barn area c) The park’s non-historic features The research process included site visits and management staff interviews. Historical investigation was limited to the review of existing park research, including drawings, reports, copies of historical plats, deeds, interview transcripts, and other documentation relevant to the project purpose. Telephone conservations with persons having specific site history or resource information were also conducted.

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Cultural Landscape Report

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