American Landmark: Charles Duell and the Rebirth of Middleton Place

by Virginia Christian Beach

Charles Duell was 31 years old when he inherited Middleton Place from his grandfather in 1969. His sudden inheritance compelled him to leave a finance career in New York and move his family to South Carolina, where he found the national landmark languishing. Birthplace of a Declaration signer and a First Continental Congress president, Middleton Place also had been home to hundreds of enslaved men, women and children. As the new man in charge, Duell's challenge was to preserve the history contained in the houses and lands of his forebears, while also making them sustainable, relevant and accessible for future generations.

290 pages, Hardcover

Published March 28, 2022

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good! (Disclaimer…I’m a history nerd who loves nothing more than a museum in any form.) I visited Middleton Place for the first time this spring & was just blown away by the property, so OF COURSE I had to buy this book before I left. Now I don’t know if I can wait until spring to go back!

The book covers the history of the family who established Middleton Place, which was fascinating, but the main focus of the book is how Charles Duell spent 50 years evolving the property into the landmark it is today after he inherited the property in his early 30s. I most particularly appreciated the details on how the issue of slavery was initially addressed at the site and am encouraged that it continues to be rigorously readdressed to this day. So important!!! Highly recommend this book to anyone planning a visit to Middleton Place or to anyone who’s visited in the past. It definitely provides a much broader view of what’s gone on the behind the scenes.

[Sue Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This family is an amazing American family and their history fascinated me. We stopped at Middleton Place for an afternoon. I’d like to go back and explore further.