Wormsloe Plantation
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Old photo of the Wormsloe mansion
Entrance to the estate grounds
The mansion today
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Today, visitors can interact with costumed interpreters during programs and events, and view a museum with artifacts unearthed at Wormsloe, as well as a short film about the site and the founding of Georgia. The interpretive nature trail leads past the tabby ruins along the marsh to the Colonial Life Area where, during programs and special events, demonstrators in period dress exhibit the tools and skills of colonial Georgia. The site hosts several events throughout the year, including the “Colonial Faire and Muster” in February, which highlights aspects of 18th-century life, such as music, dancing, crafts and military drills and the “Tools and Skills that Built a Colony” event over Labor Day weekend.
Now ,on to the history of the plantation. The plantation has been in the same family, since mid 1730s. It was founded by Georgia colonist, Noble Jones. The plantation was a very strategic location, for Savannah's defense against attacks from the Spanish, because it’s the majority of the Isle of Hope. This is what Jones used the land for, as general, before he made it into a plantation. His plantation was very successful and had many crops he grew. Jones's plantation produced cotton, grains, vegetables, fruits, berries, and Mulberry Trees. The reason he had these trees were in hopes of attracting silkworms, so that he could become a producer of silk also. This is the explanation for the name of the plantation; the connection to of silkworm and Wormsloe. Jones had slaves to do the work on his plantation.
When Jones died in 1775, his will instructed that the plantation go to his son, Noble Wimberly Jones. He also stated that he wanted the planation to forever stay in the family. However, it was his daughter Mary Jones Bulloch, who continued to live a life close to the estate. Before Noble Wimberly Jones passed away, he gave the plantation to his son, George Jones. Around 1830, George Jones decided to build houses on the plantation. The new house is known as the first version of Wormsloe houses. It is said that because of these gorgeous house, a deep sense of pride, heritage, and love for the planation was evoked in George's son, George Frederick Tilghman Jones. He will one day own the plantation.
Eventually, when George Frederick Tilghman Jones would inherit the plantation, he would purchase 250 more acres to add to the plantation. He also began to produce crops, again. He would have many slaves working in his fields. His crops were cotton, seafood, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. He would also change his name to, G.W.J De Renne. However, soon enough the Civil War came around and changed the plantation. It is said that, Federal Troops attacked the mansion, destroying two of the houses. Eventually the plantation was restored to normal, around 1870. in 1893, G.W.J.'s son , and only surviving child, Wymberley Jones De Renne, would take over. He would make changes to the plantation like, adding a dairy operation and building barns for animals. From there, the plantation expanded. The plantation became known for its beautiful gardens and would even allow guests to tour the plantation.