vol. 28 no s . 1
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fall 2010
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INTERIORS
to preserve an icon by Carter C. Hudgins, Ph.D., Director of Preservation Imagine the United States Capitol building without its iconic dome. Now picture the Statue of Liberty missing her symbolic torch, the Golden Gate Bridge lacking its majestic arches, and Drayton Hall without its double portico. All of these masterworks of architecture are symbols of the American experience and serve as tangible and functional reminders of our nation’s history, ingenuity, and freedom. But pause for a minute and consider if such icons disappeared? How would our American landscape appear without such significant landmarks? Accordingly, what steps are necessary to preserve and safeguard our American treasures for generations to come?
In the case of Drayton Hall, you may recall reading in recent emails and letters that regular preservation initiatives have revealed that this iconic part of the main house is in jeopardy if steps are not taken immediately to stabilize the structure (Fig. 2). Beginning in the fall of 2009, conservation specialists with Richard Marks Restoration, Inc., performed a limited assessment of Drayton Hall’s portico as part of an effort to repaint and repair the portico’s columns, cornice, and wooden ceilings (Fig. 3). During this process, it became evident that the portico has been plagued with water infiltration since its initial 18th-century construction. As a result of associated water damage, the original wooden and limestone material of the portico was modified with a combination of sandstone, brick, and stucco in the first half of the 19th century (Fig. 4) with further concrete and iron rebar being installed in the 1930s and 1950s. When combined, historic and modern continued on page 3