The Wood Nymph, Middleton Place, South Carolina Postcard

The Wood Nymph, carved in marble around 1810, is the iconic statue of Middleton Place, a plantation on the Ashley River near Charleston, South Carolina. Johan Rudolf Schadow of Germany was the sculptor. The Wood Nymph is featured on the entry stickers to Middleton Place. Now sitting serenely, always with freshly cut flowers in her hand, the Wood Nymph is a survivor, just like the plantation itself. When the Northern Army troops advanced on the plantation in 1865 during the Civil War, the Wood Nymph was buried in the earth to protect her from harm. The troops burned the plantation buildings. After the war, the Wood Nymph was dug up and seated near the Azalea pool, where she is surrounded by masses of azaleas. Live oaks, hanging with Spanish moss, tower over her. The Wood Nymph was unscathed during the severe Charleston earthquake of 1886, which was felt as far away as Chicago, Illinois, and remains one of the most severe earthquakes to ever hit the East Coast. When Hurricane Hugo approached in September 1989, Middleton Place staff wrapped the Wood Nymph in mattresses. Because it was a Category 4 hurricane at landfall, the storm brought strong winds to many areas of South Carolina. In Downtown Charleston, sustained winds of 87 mph (140 km/h) were reported, along with gusts of 108 mph (174 km/h). After the hurricane subsided, staff members found that the Wood Nymph had been dislodged slightly from its base, but sustained no damage. The plantation, a National Historic Landmark District, is now a museum, and is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States. Visitors can experience living history demonstrations and tours of the grounds and house. First settled in the late 17th century with its main family residence built in 1705, Middleton Place was acquired through marriage by Henry Middleton in 1741 and for a century and a quarter was the family seat of four generations of Middletons who played important roles in American history. Henry Middleton was the second president of the First Continental Congress and his son Arthur, a passionate revolutionary, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Middleton Place has remained under the same family stewardship for 320 years, and has been renovated and restored after fires, Civil War damage, neglect, an earthquake and hurricanes. Many types of animals live on the plantation similar to those raised by the family through the centuries.