Archives For November 30, 1999
Gertrude and Sidney purchased Medway Plantation in the spring of 1930 after stumbling across it during a countryside horseback ride. They took on the task of restoring the historic plantation even though Medway had no heat, no electricity, and no running water. This post shows just a small amount of the materials held in the College of Charleston’s collection, including archaeological surveys, staff lists, Medway Timber Company materials, and more.

“Reasons for and against Purchase of Medway,” holograph on envelope, undated 1929 (written by Sidney or Gertrude Legendre)

Staff list with days worked and amounts paid, 1931 May 21. The Gourdine family maintained the grounds for over three generations

Medway game book (front cover), 1934-1961. Includes date, hunters, location, game hunted, and remarks.

Medway game book interior. When away from Medway during World War II, Gertrude marked pages “WAR!!” in red pencil and captioned, “Sidney joined navy and went to Pacific; Gertie joined OSS, was sent to Europe and was taken prisoner by Germans 26 Sept 1944, escaped March 22, 1945.”

Bing Crosby often visited Medway and enjoyed going on shooting trips with Gertrude and friends. Photo from “Medway 1966” album.
The following are photos from an archaeological survey and sampling project at Medway’s Back River/Pine Grove area in 1992.
Photos of luncheon and demonstration held for Medway Timber Company.
Gertrude’s first daughter, Landine, was born in 1933. Below are some pictures of young Landine at Medway, at Lake Placid (NY), and at social events.

Captioned: “Miss Landine Legendre, Chairman of the Junior Committee for the Free Milk Fund for Babies benefit opera at the Metropolitan, Thursday Evening, Dec. 18”
This collection includes a large number of detailed scrapbooks Gertrude compiled over the years.
Gertrude funded expeditions for National Geographic and the American Museum of Natural History, during which they would collect specimens to display at Medway Plantation and in various museums.
These images are from some of her earliest expeditions to Africa, Abyssinia, and Indochina (1928-1932) and include Gertrude, her husband, Sidney Legendre, her brother, Stephen “Laddie” Sanford, and her brother-in-law, Morris Legendre.
Thanks to the project’s digital library assistant, Rebecca McClure, for these beautiful scans! These scrapbooks (and many more) will soon be available in a digital exhibit via the Lowcountry Digital Library.

Africa, 1927, and Abyssinia, 1928-1929

Indochina, 1932

Africa, 1928

Africa, 1928