The College of Charleston Foundation has reached an agreement in principle with Historic Charleston Foundation concerning the purchase of McLeod Plantation on James Island.
Historic Charleston Foundation has been seeking a buyer for the property who will properly steward and preserve the plantation while keeping it in the public domain. The College of Charleston and the College of Charleston Foundation see significant opportunity to properly steward McLeod Plantation in the public interest and, at the same time, enhance its educational mission and provide greater opportunities to its students.
“As part of this discussion, the College is evaluating uses for the site that will be respectful of the wishes of its former owner, the late Willie McLeod, and sensitive to the concerns of surrounding neighborhoods and residents of James Island,” says College of Charleston President P. George Benson. “We believe, as does Historic Charleston Foundation, that the faculty expertise the College can bring to this property will enhance its value for our students and the community.”
The College of Charleston Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) entity, will purchase the property for the sole benefit and use of the College of Charleston. No public money, tuition funds, or student fees will be used for the purchase. Price is currently set at $4 million, subject to due diligence analysis by the College.
McLeod Plantation could serve as a living laboratory for faculty and students in historic preservation, archaeology, biology, and other disciplines. It also could provide the College much needed green space for students to participate in recreational sports and agricultural pursuits.
The College of Charleston Foundation and Historic Charleston Foundation are in the process of finalizing the details of a Purchase and Sale Agreement. Under that Agreement the College of Charleston Foundation will have a 90 day “due diligence” period to investigate the property and decide if it wants to finalize the transaction.
Willie McLeod attended the College of Charleston and maintained a life-long relationship with the College. He named the College of Charleston Foundation as a beneficiary of his estate. With the gifts from his estate, the Foundation established an endowed scholarship named for McLeod that provides $7,125 annually for scholarships.
McLeod Plantation is the last of 17 antebellum plantations on James Island. The property is remarkable for its historic assemblage of agricultural buildings, domestic service facilities, a corridor of slave cottages and main house.
The College of Charleston is a public liberal arts and sciences university located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1770, the College is among the nation’s top universities for quality education, student life and affordability. With more than 11,500 undergraduate and graduate students, the College of Charleston offers the distinctive combination of a beautiful and historic campus, modern facilities and cutting-edge programs.
College’s Questions and Answers on McLeod Plantation (pdf)
