Insider's Guide: Georgetown to McClellanville

George Washington not only slept here, he rescued this live oak from death row. Eliza Pinckney was hosting the new President of the United States at her home, Hampton Plantation, in 1791, when the subject of the oak tree came up. Standing on the newly added front portico (the house was already more than 50 years old), Mrs. Pinckney worried aloud that the oak tree would eventually spoil the view. Washington convinced her to keep it, and today the tree is the view at Hampton, which is now a South Carolina State Historical Site and open to the public.

It is just one of many stops on this short route that is packed with opportunity for old house enthusiasts. Many of the scenes in this post will be familiar to you, yet remain largely hidden to travelers speeding up and down Highway 17 between Myrtle Beach and Charleston. Today, we will take a couple of brief turns off of the main road and discover dozens of your favorite old treasures, hiding in plain sight.