Built in 1818, the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Garden is one of those estates that are not only rich in furnishing, but also in history. It was originally owned by Ainsley Hall, who was a local, wealthy merchant. A few years later, it was purchased by General Wade Hampton I.

The property stayed in the family for three generations. It got its name from its real owners, the Hampton family, and the Prestons, who got affiliated by marriage to Hampton I’s daughter, Caroline, wife to the former senator John Preston.

The antebellum house has been open to the public since 1970 as a museum. It gives visitors a peek to the lives of these influential families who have also played a part in local and national history.