Thirty-five years ago, Hurricane Hugo aggressively came off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and changed the face of the Lowcountry, forever. At Middleton Place, the fierce aftermath alone was enough to close the National Historic Landmark from September 21, 1989 to October 8, 1989. The once lush gardens were now stripped of their distinctive greenery and efforts to place the site back on dry ground began with the help of dedicated staff and volunteers.
One of the significant lessons learned from that hurricane was that many of Middleton Place’s most valuable historic assets were not just documents or silver, but also the landscape itself and especially the “Middleton Oak.” The grand live oak stands tall as a resilient symbol for the Lowcountry. Its large ever-twisting branches have served as arms of time, witnessing hundreds of years of history in the making. Sidney Frazier, current VP of Horticulture, shared that the Middleton Oak was one of the first things he sought to check on after the storm’s destruction ceased.
While the Middleton Oak withstood the record-setting wind and rain, it did have some damage that would alter the oak’s appearance. The very real threat of this tree no longer standing in the sundial garden was ever too close. Soon after, Sidney began to propagate seedlings of the Middleton Oak and after many unsuccessful attempts, in 1997, the Middleton Place Oak was finally propagated, and a new seedling was planted, ensuring that its history lives on.
On Friday, September 20, 2024, guests, staff, and volunteers gathered to dedicate this tree, as an enduring symbol of our shared history, our commitment to stewardship, and to honor the Middleton Place Foundation’s 50th anniversary. President and CEO of the Middleton Place Foundation, Dana Hand Evans, and VP of Horticulture, Sidney Frazier, spoke on the importance of this monumental effort and the important roles we all play in serving as stewards of “America’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens.”
As the Middleton Oak continues to serve as a witness to history in the making, the Middleton Place Foundation’s mission continues to be centered on fostering a deeper connection to our shared American history.
