Discover 100s of Things to Do in the Lowcountry

June 2025 Issue
By Lesley Kyle
Photography by Lindsay Gifford

Along a stretch of Route 17 in Yemassee, SC, is a historic home with a picturesque 300-year-old live oaks standing proudly in the front yard.
The house, built in 1868, has periodically been restored over the years, mostly to bring it in line with today’s contemporary codes and expectations.

Today, this historic residence, known as Frampton Plantation House, is home to the South Carolina Lowcountry Tourism Commission.

The Commission is one of 11 regional destination marketing organizations in South Carolina. It represents Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties, and its job is to promote economic development and things to see and do in our area. “Savannah and Charleston are very well known, but we want people to know about everything in between,” said Peach Morrison, Executive Director. “Charleston is like our older sister—well-established and sure of herself. Savannah is our younger sister: beautiful and loves to party.” Peach continued, “We are the middle sister who will put her pearls on, get in the boat, and go get shrimp for dinner.” 


The original Frampton Plantation House was built on land given to the Frampton Family courtesy of a grant from the King of England in the 1700s. Four family homes were built on the property, and the home known today as Frampton Plantation House belonged to John Edward Frampton. John Edward was a signer of the ordinance of secession, and his role made him a target. The original home was destroyed during the Civil War. Frampton also sat on the 35th General Assembly from 1842-1843, so he was drawn to politics. During the war, John Edward evacuated with his family to Barnwell, South Carolina, along with many others from the area. “Folks grabbed their silver and ran,” said Peach.

Frampton Plantation House was a working farm, not a fancy plantation, and one can presume the home was smaller after the war. The plantation grew cotton and rice, but rice was the biggest cash crop of the two. John Edward’s forefathers first appeared on Edisto Island in the early 1700s, and he also owned a house in Charleston. He lived to the ripe old age of 86, which was unusual for the period. The residence was later inhabited by different families and was even a Sea Pines sales office when that community was under development in the 1960s. The land and the residence were donated to the Lowcountry Tourism Commission in 1993, and after a couple of years of renovations, the residence re-opened as a visitors’ center.

The Center provides a welcome respite from the monotony of I-95, where visitors can stretch, walk their dogs, and enjoy the picnic area. On the first floor, visitors will see a room filled with 1900s-era dresses, artifacts, and information. The gift shop is filled with South Carolina-made gifts visitors can take home. The staff is very knowledgeable and armed with brochures for every possible interest. “People are more adventurous and less inclined to plan their itineraries these days,” said Peach. “We can help people with specific itineraries catered to their interests, whether it’s a visit to Walterboro for antiques, Bluffton for Old Town, or the Audubon for the birders.” Memorabilia from the hit movie, Forrest Gump, is also on display, and a map with local filming locations is also available.


Those who are considering a staycation this summer should start their planning with a visit or phone call to the Visitors’ Center. “It’s a very special place. We like to tell the hard stories,” said Peach, who was born and raised in South Carolina. “They make us part of what and who we are.” People who have lived in this area all their lives will learn things they never knew, and there are thousands of things to see and do. The “Things To Do” tab on the website
(www.southcarolinalowcountry.com/things-to-do/) is a great place to start.

“We want visitors to make memories and want to be here 100 years from now celebrating what we love,” said Peach. “We’ve been serving the public for nearly 30 years and just want people to respect, protect, and share our area, while leaving this beautiful place just as they found it.”

From time to time, local artists and authors appear in residence at the Visitors’ Center. While live events are not scheduled at this writing, appearances will be posted to the website as events are confirmed. The Visitors’ Center also recently contributed to a book to be published in the near future: 100 Things To Do in the Lowcountry Before You Die. The book is a compilation of ideas from Visit Beaufort, Port Royal, and Sea Islands, the Hilton Head Island and Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, and the South Carolina Lowcountry Tourism Commission. An author signing is planned at the Center once the book is published.



Up Close:
Location: 1 Low Country Lane, Yemassee, SC
Hours: Open daily, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Fun Fact: The bridge in Forrest Gump is in Beaufort, not Alabama!
Website: www.southcarolinalowcountry.com/frampton-plantation-house