Hampton Plantation State Historic Site is located in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. A rice plantation used to exist in an area which is now called Hampton Creek. The river-based rice culture transformed the South Carolina's economy in the 18th century. The mansion was built with Georgian style architecture.
There is wildlife that live around the Hampton Plantation. Occasionally some wild boar, black bear, and red-cockaded woodpeckers can be seen. The red-cockaded woodpecker is an endangered species. The largest population of these birds are in the Francis Marion National Forest which is adjacent to the plantation.
Another endangered species also resides at the plantation, the Rafinesque's big-eared bat. The bats reside in the attic of the kitchen building and is known to be the largest maternal colony in the state. The building and the bats provide an excellent opportunity for research on a species that little is known about.
The main families that lived on the property were the Horry and Rutledge families. The house stayed in the family for over 220 years, until Archibald Rutledge sold it in 1971.
