Latta Plantation Nature Preserve
Charlotte Nature Preserve Pixabay Public Domain
The Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, built in 1800 by owner James Latta, is a stunning historical and natural representation of early southern life in Charlotte.
An immigrant from Northern Ireland, Latta's plantation was formerly known as Latta Place. After James retired in 1820, he turned his property into a cotton plantation consisting of 742 acres and 34 enslaved individuals. The property was bought, sold, and repurposed until the 1970s when a group of citizens recognized the structural and historical significance of Latta Place and formed a private non-profit entity, Latta Place, Inc. They were able to save and restore the property and opened it to the public in the mid-1970s.
During your visit, your student group will have the opportunity to examine 18th and 19th-century artifacts, see the fully furnished circa 1800 house museum. In addition to the museum, group members can check out a fascinating exhibit area where you will learn about the families which owned the plantation, the slaves that lived on the farm and life in 19th century Mecklenburg.
If your group enjoys nature, the Latta Plantation is the place to visit. Your group will encounter a diversity of natural communities such as upland and bottomland hardwood forests, open fields, streams, and a Piedmont Prairie. The preserve is part of the Mountain Island Lake which is an important area for bird conservation practices as well.
