Your visit to Wavering Place helps preserve the rich and significant history of this property. Take a closer look at its story below.
Wavering Place is Founded
Wavering Place was built circa 1855 on land purchased by Joel Adams I in 1768. Spanning an estimated 25,000 acres across Richland County, Adams and his sons managed extensive logging, agriculture, livestock, and transportation operations—industries made profitable only by the labor of hundreds of enslaved individuals.
This land was known by three names as it passed through Adams’ direct descendants: from the heirs of his son, Dr. William Weston Adams (Green Tree), to Frances Tucker Hopkins and her descendants (Magnolia), and finally to Col. James Pickett Adams and his descendants, who named it Wavering Place.
Preservation Work Begins
In 1986, Dr. Julian Calhoun Adams united the interests of more than 50 Adams descendants, ushering in a new chapter of historic preservation, restoration, and growth. Already listed on the National Register of Historic Places, "Uncle Julian" further enhanced Wavering Place by cultivating its now-celebrated native plant gardens.
In 2013, brothers Robert Adams VI and Weston Adams III purchased the property from their uncle and continued the restoration efforts he began. In 2013, the property was placed under an easement through the Congaree Land Trust to ensure its preservation for future generations.
A New Era for Wavering Place
Following the passing of Robert Adams VI in 2019, ownership transferred to Weston Adams III and his wife, Lisa Boykin Adams. That same year, a grant facilitated by Historic Columbia enabled the documentation of the history of the enslaved people at Wavering Place, ensuring their stories would not be forgotten.
Today, preservation efforts are supported through the rental of the grounds for events. Revenue generated is reinvested to maintain the architectural and historical integrity of Wavering Place, honoring ALL the hands and history that shaped this significant South Carolina landmark. A new page devoted to history and research is currently in development.