Wormsloe: What's in a Name? Worms?!

We visited the Wormsloe Plantation while at Skidaway. The story behind the guy who created Wormsloe (no, no worms involved...), Noble Jones, was pretty amazing. He came over as part of a contingent from England to create a new colony. While most of the colonizing efforts, led by James E. Oglethorpe, were a complete, corrupted, incompetent flop, Jones was the one exception. He came over as a carpenter but served as: "constable, physician, surveyor, Indian agent, soldier, member of the royal council, treasurer, and senior justice of the province." And, it turns out, he could also build and run an indigo, rice, and silk plantation that doubled as a fortress, where he and marines defended the nearby waterways from attack. Gee, amazing how such a character can come shining through, despite utter chaos and disaster! Where is such a person now!!! We could use them to lead our country!!!!!!!!!!!
But, while I was very impressed with Noble Jones, I was not quite as impressed with the current running of this attraction... I walked into the office to pay the entry fees, camera slung over my shoulder - usual garb, don't you know!?! I was IMMEDIATELY told I could not take my camera onto the plantation!!!!!!!! I could not take any photos with it. Apparently, if I had a camera "that cost less than $500" I was less of a threat and could use that to photograph with!!!!!??????!!!!! So much for the honor system!!! I guess they are VERY worried about commercial photography competition there or something. I've NEVER run into that kind of deal before!!!! I've certainly been to places with photography limitations/requirements/fees, but I've never been to a place that just outright told you "no photos with that camera because it costs too much!" You know, even with a damn good, expensive, heavy, bulky camera, you can still take crappy photos!! And in fact, in some ways, it's easier to take worse photos with such a camera! Anyways, this place just made me feel like a criminal for walking through their door!!!!!!!! It was a very yucky and offensive experience!!!!!!!!!!! I did go in and I did take my point and shoot, but I didn't take any good photos, and if Bill hadn't have been there with me expecting to tour this facility, I would NOT have gone in!!!!!!!!!! Creepy.

While walking around the estate, we came across a small tour being led by a barefoot guy wearing weird clothes and shooting some old gun... ;)

(P.S. I wonder how much that gun cost? Maybe they shouldn't have let him in with that! Only with a cheaper one!!)

I couldn't do this avenue of oaks justice with my little camera or the lighting, etc., but personally I think I got a way better deal at the Afton Villa Gardens in St. Francisville, LA, anyways!!!!!!!!! And I would highly recommend going anywhere else for photography. This place may be good to honor Noble Jones - he was worth it - but that's it.