PA I D O
F R I E N D S of D R A Y T O N H A L L
INTERIORS FALL 2021
Holiday Season Events November 27, 2021 December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 2021 Candlelight Tours of Drayton Hall November 28, 2021 Member Shopping Day December 5, 2021 Drayton Hall’s 2021 Oyster Roast December 12, 2021 38th Annual African American Spirituals Concert
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For event information and registration visit draytonhall.org 3380 ASHLEY RIVER ROAD | CHARLESTON, SC 29414 | 843.769.2600 | draytonhall.org | @draytonhall
Perseverance
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FALL 2021
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Luke Pecoraro, Drayton Hall’s first Director of Archaeology
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We are pleased to announce Luke Pecoraro PhD has joined Drayton Hall Preservation Trust as our first Director of Archaeology. Luke is a historical archaeologist. He has worked in cultural resource management archaeology in the mid-Atlantic, the Chesapeake and New England on a variety of prehistoric and historic sites, and for several years as a staff archaeologist on the Jamestown Rediscovery project, and is the former Director of Archaeology at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. He also served for two years as the Director of Curatorial Services for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
ear Friends,
It is hard to believe that we are 20 months into a global pandemic that has claimed so many lives and disrupted everything from personal wellbeing and supply chains to travel, tourism and education. These times have presented Drayton Hall Preservation Trust with a remarkable set of challenges. We were forced to make significant financial cuts and transition to a new operating model all the while striving to uphold the highest level of preservation stewardship possible. Despite many difficulties, the dedication of Drayton Hall’s staff has only grown stronger, and so has the support of our Friends. For this, I am forever grateful and could not be prouder of our collective efforts to preserve the past for the benefit of the future. As you will read in this issue of Interiors, your generosity has enabled Drayton Hall Preservation Trust to advance our mission in new and dynamic ways. Unforeseen as our circumstances may have been, they encouraged nimbleness, reconsideration, and new beginnings. We have much to be proud of as a community. From the acquisition of The Oaks Plantation, the creation of our new Archaeology Department, to expanded research, public programming and conservation initiatives, your commitment and our collective perseverance for Drayton Hall’s survival and progress has enabled us to thrive in the face of adversity. We are not out of the woods, but we can take comfort in knowing that your continued philanthropy coupled with the devotion of our staff will see Drayton Hall emerge from this pandemic as a strong and agile organization. I thank each of our dedicated donors and staff members of Drayton Hall Preservation Trust for all you have endured and accomplished. Drayton Hall would not be the same without your devotion and enthusiasm, and we are forever indebted to your many contributions to protecting and learning from our past. Sincerely,
Carter C. Hudgins, Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer
Luke Pecoraro, PhD., Director of Archaeology Corey A. H. Sattes, Wexler Curatorial Fellow
MUSEUM PROGRAMS
B OA R D O F T RU S T E E S William B. (Bill) Bodine, Chair Marilynn Wood Hill, Vice Chair Thomas W. (Woody) Rash Jr., Vice Chair H. Montague (Monty) Osteen Jr., Treasurer Betsy Halstead, Secretary Richard Almeida Nathan (Nate) Berry Catherine Brown Braxton Dirk Brown John T. Cahill Amelia (Mimi) Cathcart Matthew Cochrane-Logan Frank B. Drayton Jr. Shannon C. Eaves Katherine Malone-France Risè Johnson Cynthia (Cynnie) Kellogg Kristopher B. King Benjamin F. (Ben) Lenhardt Jr. Fulton D. (Tony) Lewis Jr. Margaret Beck Pritchard Henry B. Smythe Jr. Anthony C. (Tony) Wood TRUSTEES EMERITI W. Hampton Morris Michael B. Prevost Carter C. Hudgins, Ph. D., President and Chief Executive Officer Pamela Brown, Executive Assistant
FINANCE Paula Marion, Chief Financial Officer Michelle Johanek, Finance Associate
G U E S T S E RV I C E S Kate Ludwig, Director of Retail and Admissions Emily David Hendrix, Event Coordinator Guest Services Associates: Christine Cline, Georgette Rivera, Donna Seymour
Sarah Stroud Clarke, Director of Museum Affairs Amber Satterthwaite, Curator of Education and Museum Programs Historical Interpreters: Caroline Currey, Rosemary Giesy, Nicole Houck, Lauren Ketelhut, Betsy McAmis, Veronica Pieretti
P R E S E RVAT I O N Patricia Lowe Smith, Curator of Historic Architectural Resources Eric Becker, Manager of Landscapes, Horticulture, and Modern Facilities Tanehsa Joi High, Preservation Associate Raymond Nesmith, Landscape and Horticulture Technician Tom Eline, Landscape and Horticulture Technician
DEVELOPMENT Halley Cella Erickson, Director of Philanthopy Caroline Schultz, Advancement Manager Lela Gee-Boswell Solomon, Advancement Manager
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A N D M A R K E T I N G Catherine Coughlin, Communications and Marketing Manager
VOLUNTEERS Amy Buckley, Judy Canonico, Susan and Stuart Cohen, Charlotte and Bill Collier, Christine Cronin, Deborah Dammer, Eileen Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Gentile, Margaret Harris, Rob Hoak, Donna and Carter L. Hudgins, Maryjane and Tony Islan, Robert A. Johnson, Elaine and Steve Knapp, Paula Knecht, Toula Latto, Elaine Lovett, Solveig McShea, Faye Merritt, Gail Morrill, Frank Osusky, Ian and Judi Purches, Susan Ritzert, Dawn and Chris Rosendall, Marlene and Joe Rotter, Sherry Timko, Brandy and James Vallance, Gary Wiessner, Norm and Lynn Wheeler, Rita Wilkie, Carol Wood, Joan and Stan Younce, Matt and Diane Zender
draytonhall.org
02 LETTER FROM PRESIDENT CARTER C. HUDGINS
Above: LUKE PECORARO PhD, DIRECTOR OF ARCHAEOLOGY
Luke is a research archaeologist for the First Colony Foundation, searching for the 16th century “Lost Colony” on Roanoke Island, and a team member of the Survey and Landscape Archaeology on Montserrat (SLAM) project in the British West Indies. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in history (Virginia Commonwealth University) and a Master’s and Phd in archaeology from Boston University. Recent publications include Stewards of Memory: The Past, Present and Future of Historic Preservation at George Washington’s Mount Vernon edited by Carol Cadou, Luke Pecoraro and Thomas Reinhart (UVA Press, 2018). “I am most looking forward to reinvigorating the archaeology program at Drayton Hall through research-oriented excavations with public engagement,” said Luke. “The upcoming launch of the South Flanker Well excavation hosted by the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery (DAACS) will bring more attention to the fieldwork previously undertaken, giving us a nice platform from which to build out our web presence. I am excited to bring new technology into the field as we begin to investigate the location of the eighteenth- and nineteenth- century slave barracks in the new year.”
Celebrating the gifts of time, talents, and treasure: Dirk Brown We are pleased to welcome a new member of the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust Board of Trustees: Dirk Brown of Atlanta, GA. Dirk is a technologist who spends his energy designing and building innovative products and services for the technology, philanthropic, and housing communities. Dirk currently serves as an entrepreneur, advising for several tech startups that support cultural institutions. He also manages a portfolio of real estate investments with an interest in innovative affordable living and serves as board chair of the MicroAbove: DIRK BROWN, COURTESY OF EMORY Life Institute. Most recently, Dirk served as Vice President of UNIVERITY GOIZUETA BUSINESS SCHOOL Global Product Management for telecommunications startup PGi. He holds a BA in Classics from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Dirk currently serves as chair of the Michael C. Carlos Museum National Leadership Board, an Executive Ambassador for Techbridge, and board member for the Oxford College Board of Counselors. He was chosen for the Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2019 for the Atlanta Regional Commission. Dirk has been a member of the Friends of Drayton Hall for nearly 40 years. As a DHPT trustee, Dirk will lend his expertise to the Development, Retail, and Communications Committee. When asked what drew him back to Drayton Hall year after year, Dirk said “I fell in love with the architecture and landscape of Drayton Hall after my first visit in the early 1980s. Living in Atlanta, I returned many times and supported its work over the years during my trips to Charleston. With the recent changing view of historic homes, I support Drayton Hall’s mission to give voice to all people, free and enslaved, who have lived and worked on the property.”
03 OF NOTE 04-07 PRIMARY SOURCE HISTORY: AN INTRODUCTION TO DRIVERS, OVERSEERS, AND EMPLOYEES ON CHARLES DRAYTON’S PLANTATIONS 08 PRESERVATION UPDATE 09 URGENT PRESERVATION NEEDS 10 THE OAKS PLANTATION 11 UPCOMING EVENTS NEW IN THE SHOP AND ONLINE 12 HOLIDAY SEASON EVENTS
Opposite page: VISITORS TAKE IN DRAYTON HALL’S ORIENTATION EXHIBIT IN THE CHARLES H. DRAYTON III ORIENTATION HALL
On the Cover: ERIC BECKER, MANAGER OF LANDSCAPES, HORTICULTURE, AND MODERN FACILITIES CONDUCTS THE HISTORIC LANDSCAPE AND LENHARDT GARDEN WALK ALL IMAGES WITHIN ARE COURTESY OF DRAYTON HALL PRESERVATION TRUST UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
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rimary Source History
An Introduction to Drivers, Overseers, and Employees on Charles Drayton’s Plantations In the early eighteenth century, South Carolina became the first mainland English colony to reach a Black majority in its population. The growing number of enslaved people living and arriving in the colony, as well as increasing anxiety about slave uprisings, led South Carolina lawmakers to create legislation calling for more vigilant, constant monitoring of plantations by Whites. In 1712, a law was passed requiring enslavers to have at least one White person living on any plantation more than six miles away from their primary residences where six or more enslaved laborers were held. Several years later, in 1726, the requirement was changed, and planters were told to hire one White person for every ten enslaved people on a plantation. While these regulations were not always followed or enforced, they continued to be updated and utilized through the Civil War, and they provided guidelines that are important to consider when examining the roles of overseers and other White employees on Lowcountry plantations. In the mid-eighteenth century, John Drayton ran several ads in local papers to find overseers for hire, but word-of-mouth was an important part of the overseers’ experiences. After John’s death, his oldest surviving son, Charles, purchased Drayton Hall from John’s widow, Rebecca Perry Drayton. Charles owned Drayton Hall from 1784 until his death in 1820, and during this period, overseers commonly appeared in his personal diaries. The overseers lived on the specific plantation Charles hired them to manage, and they reported to him regularly, either in person or by sending enslaved men as couriers to deliver letters and detailed notes about the conditions of and work being performed on the property.
IMAGE C: Charles Drayton, diary entry, April 27, 1794. Charles
At Drayton Hall, the driver’s social distance from other memDrayton Diaries (1784-1820). Drayton Papers Collection. NB. [Nota Bene] on the 14. Quash & his company began bers of the enslaved community may have been reflected in the to construct the new house for the Overseer on Jehosse. placement of his house, according to a circa 1790 map of the property drawn by Charles Drayton (IMAGE B). The map, known today as the Glover Plat, is undated and lacks orientation necessary to pinpoint the locations of the buildings and features it illustrates. Whether it is a literal representation of what existed or if it was a design for some planned construction is currently unknown, but the map shows a number of houses that were occupied by enslaved laborers. It includes a pasture, a well, storage buildings, and areas designated for hogs and sheep. The driver’s house is also pictured on the map, but it is quite a distance away from the rest of the houses, which appear side-by-side in a straight line. IMAGE A: “Plantation Rules,” detail, no date. Drayton Papers Collection.
Regardless of the significance of the driver’s role at Drayton Hall, Charles’s diaries do not specify who may have held the position; however, he did record the names of several drivers on other plantations. They will be introduced later in this article. Foreman was another supervisory position in Plantation Rules that was held by enslaved men. Essentially, groups of laborers, such as carpenters, who worked together to complete a job were led by a foreman. Foremen appeared regularly in Charles Drayton’s diaries. One foreman he wrote about consistently was Quash Carpenter. Quash led the carpenters’ work, trained apprentices, and spoke with Charles frequently (IMAGE C). The policies recorded in Plantation Rules provide much insight into the way Charles Drayton’s plantations were managed. The document mentions that a watchman was in place to ensure no enslaved individuals were walking outside at night. It also explains that drivers and foremen were to report to Charles each night, indicating that the document might have been written specifically for Drayton Hall and other nearby plantations. It also designates that all tools, “such as wedges, spades, axes rakes sickles & saws” were to be put away when not in use, particularly at night. Restricting enslaved people’s access to items that could be weaponized wasn’t just Charles Drayton’s preference; it was the law. Finally, Plantation Rules includes instructions for how to administer provisions and how overseers and drivers should manage and record sick individuals who were unable to work.
IMAGE B: Glover Plat, back, no date. Drayton Papers Collection. The large blue arrow points out the row of ten houses, which are represented by numbers on the map. The driver’s house, circled in blue, appears in the upper left corner of the map.
The fact that Charles Drayton hired overseers and other White employees is indisputable, but surviving records about them are limited. In his diaries, Charles mentioned at least forty White men and one woman who worked on his various properties. Thirty-three of the men were overseers. Four of them specifically worked at Drayton Hall, nine worked at a plantation called Savannah, seventeen men and one of their wives were employed at a plantation named Jehosse, and ten worked on other plantations. Many of them were referred to by last name only, and exact start and end dates of employment were not recorded for most of them. Most likely, that detailed information was recorded elsewhere, such as in individual plantation diaries Charles kept, which no longer survive. Management of Drayton plantations was primarily the work of the overseer, but each plantation also had an enslaved driver whose responsibilities included assigning daily tasks and ensuring work was completed on time. According to an undated document entitled Plantation Rules (IMAGE A), which looks to have been written by Charles or his son, drivers and overseers had authority to deliver physical punishment: “Driver or overseer never to give more than 20 lashes… not more without my presence.” The diaries provide examples of overseers utilizing this power. 04
Sometimes feared or disliked by enslaved communities and often reviled by overseers, drivers occupied a paradoxical social position within plantation culture. While they worked in close contact with Whites and held a level of authority over enslaved laborers, drivers remained enslaved themselves, with no legal rights and no social equality to overseers or other White employees. Records from the period often reiterate the ambiguity of enslaved drivers’ place in society.
The diaries include references to several paid White men employed at Drayton Hall, and all of them likely held some authority over enslaved laborers on the property. The first overseer Charles hired for Drayton Hall was A. Kinsley, who worked there for only a brief period. When Charles first mentioned him in July of 1784, Kinsley was sick. Charles wrote that he’d hired Kinsley “to do anything required” and had agreed to pay him £60 per year. Unfortunately, in early September, Kinsley died while traveling.
IMAGE D: Charles Drayton, diary entry, June 23, 1789. Charles Drayton Diaries (1784-1820). Drayton Papers Collection. In this record of how much corn was consumed by people and horses at Drayton Hall each day, Charles listed multiple horses, including 3 carriage horses; 2 saddle (riding) horses; 3 plow horses; 2 horses that had belonged to his father, John Drayton; and 2 others. Provisions daily expended, of Corn By House, including Gardener ---------- 0.0.6 61. By Negroes. 41 grown 20 Small --- 1.2.9 By Horses – 3. Carriage. 2. Sad. 3 Plow }1.1.2 2. John D. 2 others ----------------------- ________ 3.0.3
Another man who worked at Drayton Hall, likely as draytonhall.org
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overseer, was named Anderson. His first name was not recorded, and neither were the names of his wife or their three children, but Anderson worked for Charles from at least June 1785 until at least January 1790. Some of Anderson’s responsibilities included keeping detailed records of items purchased for the plantation and making preparations for agricultural work. In summer of 1785, some enslaved people at Drayton Hall, and one of Anderson’s sons, had smallpox. Mrs. Anderson died of unknown causes in 1789.
the previous overseer, which included five hogs, “1/2 beef,” and the service of an enslaved woman, a boy, and a girl (IMAGE E). The amount of his salary was not recorded.
There were other White employees at Drayton Hall besides overseers. One of them, a coachman named S. Brown, worked for Charles for at least a year in 1806-07. Brown was paid $25 per month, or $300 per year—significantly more than some overseers’ salaries Charles recorded during the same time period. Not only did he receive a generous salary, but when Brown moved to Philadelphia in 1807, Charles paid for his travel expenses as well.
In 1802, Solomon Freer moved to Jehosse for £50 per year “and 20 more if he makes a good crop.” Freer was also given five hogs, an old cow, milk, and butter, as well as an enslaved cook and two children.
Finally, Charles mentioned a gardener named J. McLeod, sometimes spelled McCloud, who lived at Drayton Hall with his wife from 1789 until at least 1794. Of the paid employees on the property, McLeod was the one Charles wrote about the most. His responsibilities were primarily agricultural and included supervising and keeping records related to tasks such as planting crops, threshing corn, and caring for grass. Where the McLeods lived at Drayton Hall remains unknown, but one diary entry indicates that they may have lived close to the main house (IMAGE D). In June 1789, Charles recorded how much corn was being consumed daily by everyone at Drayton Hall. He did not mention what unit of measurement he was utilizing, but he wrote that the 61 enslaved individuals living on the property, 41 of whom he referred to as “grown,” consumed 1.2.9 units, while the main house, “including the gardener,” consumed 0.0.6 units. This record is important because there are few descriptions of how many enslaved laborers lived at Drayton Hall during this period. Whether the gardener referred to in the document was McLeod or an enslaved gardener is unknown. As a gardener, McLeod spent much of his time supervising enslaved laborers. Several interactions between McLeod and enslaved men at Drayton Hall are found in the diaries. In one entry, Charles wrote that four men, Toby Cook, Prince, Emanuel, and Exeter, were all “absent from McLeod’s threats.” When July, an enslaved gardener, died in 1794, Charles held McLeod partially responsible. Charles, who was a physician, had treated July for dropsy, which might be referred to as edema today. July had improved and his swelling had decreased, then he relapsed and died, leading Charles to record that McLeod had sent July to get wood in the rain, which Charles believed may have led to July’s relapse. While the status and practices of overseers varied, many overseers were members of the working middle class and led somewhat migrant lives. Charles tended to hire itinerant overseers who generally worked for him for a couple of years at a time. The longest-employed person, according to the diaries, was S. Sylvester, who worked for at least eight years in an unspecified role at Charles’s plantation on the Wateree River, which Charles did not visit frequently. Based on what information he recorded in his personal diaries, White employees, including overseers, may have worked for Charles for an average of just under two and a half years. There is even less detail about the length of tenure for drivers on Charles’s plantations, but he mentioned eight enslaved men who worked as drivers or vice drivers. Most of them worked at Jehosse and Savannah, but two of them worked at unspecified locations. Their names were Billy, Nella, Paris, Philip, Seaboy, Tom, Wanaché, and Will. Another man named Paris may have been a driver at the same property where S. Sylvester was employed. Like overseers, exact start and end dates for drivers were generally not recorded in the diaries, and Charles did not always specify enslaved individuals’ roles. Based on the information available, the man who held the position of driver the longest was Tom. Tom was driver at Savannah from at least 1795 until at least 1817—that is, at least 22 years. For comparison, Savannah had at least eight different overseers during the same timespan. When Charles hired overseers, he and the overseer agreed to a certain period and amount of money, and they generally agreed that either of them could end the arrangement at any time. Sometimes, extra food, livestock, or even the services of enslaved laborers supplemented overseers’ salaries. All overseers received a place to live, but their salaries and the extra benefits they received varied tremendously from person to person and may have been based on a man’s level of expertise or some other skill. An examination of some of the agreements Charles created with Jehosse overseers reveals this variation. When Andrew Swindersign was hired to oversee at Jehosse in 1795, he received the same compensation as
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William Dixon, who moved to Jehosse in 1806, was promised £20 per year or “for time he stays,” as well as 300 pounds of bacon, two cows for milk, and an enslaved cook. In January 1815, N. Hill was hired at Jehosse for $250 for the year, which was to be payable in rice or cash. Hill had first started working on the plantation in 1814, but his relationship with Charles ended badly. In October 1815, Charles wrote, “Nella [driver at Jehosse] says the overseer Hill has absconded, taking from the mill [at Jehosse] 26 barrels of rice.” Overseer Hill was not the only overseer who left Charles’s employ under unfortunate circumstances. James Parkison, who had overseen operations at Savannah for approximately $100 per year since July 20, 1812, left abruptly on January 2, 1814 and was not seen again until January 16, when Charles recorded: “Overseer Parkison returned to Sava[nnah] last night like a thief, & went off with his property & some of mine like a robber.” It was also common for Charles to have overseers discharged or removed if they were not performing to his standards.
IMAGE E: Charles Drayton, diary entry, January 8, 1795. Charles Drayton Diaries (1784-1820). Drayton Papers Collection. This diary entry represents a typical description of Charles’s initial agreements with new overseers. Cold. Rainy Agreed with Andrew Swindersign to Oversee at Jehosse – the Sloop to meet him the 24 at Wallaces bridge, to remove him & his effects to Jehosse. Recompense same as Culliatt. Meat 5 hogs & ½ beef. 1. Wench, boy, girl, not serviceable
IMAGE F: Charles Drayton, diary entry, September 7, 1794. Charles Drayton Diaries (1784-1820). Drayton Papers Collection. Neal, a wandering Overseer in drunkenness cut off part of Seaboys hand at Savannah last night. Casey my Overseer brought him to me
While Charles’s relationships with overseers were sometimes strained, those between overseers and drivers could become particularly tense or even dangerous. Paris, driver at Jehosse since at least 1805, was removed from his position in 1811 after “confessing some improprieties by Overseer.” The overseer at Jehosse at the time, Josiah Long, held “a grudge” against Paris, according to Charles. While Long continued in his employment, Paris was moved from Jehosse to Savannah. Another driver at Jehosse, Philip, was “whipt, & dismissed from office by the overseer” in March of 1800 and later left the plantation with seven other enslaved people, not returning until December. Charles believed there was a plot to have the overseer, Andrew Swindersign, discharged. In 1805, Seaboy, vice driver at Savannah, ran away from that plantation when threatened by the overseer. By the following year, Seaboy had been removed from his post. A few years earlier, a drunken man Charles referred to as “a wandering Overseer,” not an overseer employed by him, had cut off part of Seaboy’s hand (IMAGE F). While laws regarding management of enslaved individuals in South Carolina did not always reflect actual practice, Charles Drayton’s diaries reveal the substantial role overseers played on antebellum plantations. Charles and the overseers he employed did not always see eye to eye, yet overseers were essential to planters’ success. For large-scale South Carolina planters and enslavers, the work of overseers and other boots-on-the-ground personnel who were physically present where the planters could not be was not only important to maintaining control of people held in bondage, it was imperative to upholding an economy that was utterly dependent upon the labor of an enslaved population. - Amber Satterthwaite, Curator of Education and Museum Programs
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reservation Update
The summer and fall of 2021 have been active seasons for the preservation of the historic structures of Drayton Hall. Our Preservation Team has overseen several urgent projects involving the main house, the privy, and the Caretaker’s House. Drayton Hall would not have received these much-needed repairs without the generosity of our remarkable donors. We thank you all for helping us to preserve this important piece of American history.
The Roof IMAGE 1: DRAYTON HALL IN OCTOBER OF 2021, ROOF PROTECTION, PAINTING, AND GLAZING ARE COMPLETED.
All three of our historic buildings have metal roofs with many useful years ahead of them, but only if they’re properly maintained. On the main house (IMAGE 1) and privy, the waterproof coatings on the metal were failing and needed to be cleaned and re-coated. In some areas, the gravity-defying effects of capillary action caused the water to infiltrate the roof from the underside, rotting large sections of wood in hard-to-see places. To remedy this, the roofers peeled back sections of the metal to expose and repair the rotten material. We are pleased to note that, after much work by people with no fear of heights, the roof projects are completed.
Paint and Window Glazing
On paint and window glazing in the main house: painters were removing cracked and peeling paint, scrubbing away mold and mildew, and reglazing windows. When the new glazing cured, they returned to apply fresh paint to the wood, and limewash to the stone columns (IMAGE 1).
The Caretaker’s House IMAGE 2: DRAYTON HALL’S MAHOGANY STAIRCASE BEFORE SHORING AND DISASSEMBLY OF THE STAIRCASE FOR REPAIRS.
The Caretaker’s House is the third historic building on the property, it houses the award-winning Richard and Jill Almeida Gallery at Drayton Hall. As noted this past spring in our Preservation Update, “some of the exterior wood siding has succumbed to wood rot, and a new brick pier has settled in a way that calls for some intervention.” Those repairs were completed earlier this summer, and The Caretaker’s House continues to welcome visitors to our interpretation of the postbellum period at Drayton Hall.
Mahogany Staircase
IMAGE 3: DRAYTON HALL’S GREAT HALL PLASTER CEILING WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF A STUDY ON HOW TO CONTINUE TO PRESERVE HISTORIC PLASTER CEILINGS.
Structural engineers have completed their designs for improvements to the mahogany staircase in the main house (IMAGE 2). In the coming weeks, we will begin shoring the stairhall from below followed by careful disassembly of the historic staircase. The structure will be strengthened in strategic locations, and then each piece of the stair will be returned to its original location. The contractor expects this project to take about six months to complete.
Great Hall Plaster Ceiling
With a grant from the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, DHPT is reviewing various methods for the evaluation of historic plaster ceilings. Working with our partners at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, the Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, and Bennett Preservation Engineering, our goal is to provide a resource for caretakers of historic properties to better assess their plaster ceilings for potential failures that can be difficult to detect. At Drayton Hall, this research will support the continued preservation of our historic plaster ceilings (IMAGE 3).
Security IMAGE 4: NEW SECURITY AND LIGHTING MEASURES HELP TO BETTER PROTECT DRAYTON HALL.
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New technological upgrades (IMAGE 4) around the site include additional cameras, lighting, and improvements to electricity and telecom at the main house. These upgrades improve site security and expand our ability to offer new interpretive experiences to visitors. draytonhall.org
This has been an extraordinary year for the preservation of Drayton Hall with eight separate preservation projects that have been completed or are nearing completion at a cost of nearly $575,000. With your help, we can cross three more essential items off our list and enter the new year having made a tremendous impact for the historic buildings of Drayton Hall.
Stairhall Plaster Ceiling
Installed in the 1980s, this modern plaster ceiling (right) has numerous cracks, and some sections of plaster have already fallen. It is essential to repair this ceiling before more plaster falls, and this is an opportune time to do such work. In the coming weeks, scaffolding will be erected in the stairhall for the careful disassembly and strategic strengthening of the mahogany staircase, and we hope to take advantage of the scaffolding to repair the damaged plaster ceiling above. While the staircase project is fully funded and moving forward, we have yet to secure the $30,000 needed to repair the plaster ceiling. If we don’t do this work now, we will forfeit the substantial cost savings achieved by bundling it with the other work happening in the house concurrently.
Termites
Two of the three historic buildings at Drayton Hall have stout masonry exteriors, but all three of the buildings have timber framing on their interiors that is extremely vulnerable to termites. Illustrating the intense pressure from termites in the southeast is a 2008 study from NC State University that found an average of twenty-five different subterranean termite colonies per acre in residential areas with a high of 75 colonies in one acre. In 2017, we installed three support columns in the cellar (below right) to remedy structural damage caused by an old termite infestation, and future infestations are practically guaranteed if we fail to take proactive steps now. To diminish this threat to the preservation of our buildings, we intend to carry out a “trench and treat” protocol that creates a solid termite barrier below ground. These trenches will be dug by archaeologists and treated by licensed pest management professionals at a cost of $7,500. Such treatments can protect the property up to ten years for significantly less than the average cost of repairs.
Roof Assessment
The roof on the main house is a substantial one that has weathered many storms, including the devastating Hurricane Hugo in 1989, but past performance is no guarantee of future success. As the main house continues to age and more frequent and stronger storms buffet the Lowcountry, it grows ever more important to understand the capacity of the historic roof to withstand strong winds. In 2020, we began a structural examination of the roof to determine its current strength in the face of storms, but competing priorities have sidelined this study. A gift of $24,000 would enable us to resume this important work and take steps to prevent catastrophic damages to the roof and the irreplaceable interiors it protects. To learn more about how you can play a role in our ongoing preservation efforts, contact Director of Philanthropy Halley Cella Erickson at herickson@draytonhall.org or 843-769-2601. - Trish Lowe Smith, Curator of Historic Architectural Resources Above right: THE PLASTER CEILING OF DRAYTON HALL’S STAIR HALL HAS NUMEROUS CRACKS, SOME SECTIONS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN. Right: THREE SUPPORT COLUMNS IN THE CELLAR OF DRAYTON HALL WERE INSTALLED IN 2017 TO REMEDY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN OLD TERMITE INFESTATION.
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Welcome Back! Family Bulb Planting Day Saturday November 20, 2021 9 am to 2:30 pm Plant bulbs for spring Mini landscape walks Interactive learning Learn more and register: draytonhall.org
Shop to Preserve Send the perfect gift box of Lowcountry specialties to family and business associates from Drayton Hall
The Shop at Drayton Hall online offers a wide variety of gifts in beautiful custom gift wrapping to send easily anywhere in the US. Shop tax-free at shop.draytonhall.org or in person Join us for Friends of Drayton Hall Member Shopping Day on Sunday, November 28th from 9am to 2:30 pm Receive 20% off and tax free purchases while you enjoy sips and nibbles! Place holiday orders early, the final day for regular shipping for Christmas is December 12, 2021
The Oaks: Fulfilling the Conservation Mandate Drayton Hall Preservation Trust is pleased to announce the acquisition of the historic Oaks Plantation located to the north of Drayton Hall between the Ashley River Road and the Ashley River. Made possible through the leadership of the Open Space Institute (OSI) and Lowcountry Land Trust, this acquisition is a significant conservation victory within South Carolina’s Ashley River Historic District. With the protection of The Oaks property, which has now been conveyed to Drayton Hall Preservation Trust following the establishment of a conservation easement held by the Lowcountry Land Trust, the project has successfully secured one of the last and largest unprotected landholdings within one of America’s most threatened historic districts.
Above left: SMITH, H.A.M.. 1988, Rivers and Regions of Early South Carolina, Articles from the South Carolina Historical (and Genealogical) Magazine. Volume II. THE REPRINT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, SPARTANBURG, SC. MAP DETAIL MODIFIED BY CARTER C. HUDGINS. Above right: THE MATURE OAK ALLEE OF THE OAKS PLANTATION. NO STRUCTURES REMAIN .ON THE PROPERTY PHOTO: OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE
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Late Fall 2021 Education Events
The 204-acre tract features saltwater wetlands, mature freshwater maritime forest, and uplands containing a mature live oak allee. Protection of the land will permanently safeguard a critical tract important for the health of the Ashley River. OSI initially purchased the property from Evening Post Industries using funds from the South Carolina Conservation Bank (SCCB), the National Coastal Wetlands Grant Program of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Drayton Hall Preservation Trust, and Dorchester Preservation Trust. Once placed under easement with the Lowcountry Land Trust, the property was then transferred to Drayton Hall Preservation Trust.
NOVEMBER
The 25,000-acre Ashley River Historic District is experiencing intense development pressure. Today, an estimated 3,000 acres of priority unprotected land exist within the region. Placing The Oaks tract under the protective auspices of Drayton Hall Preservation Trust assures this land will remain undeveloped and that the river in turn, will be provided environmental safeguards. This is an important step in our work to preserve the Ashley River Historic Corridor.
November 18, 2021 Virtual Book Club – with author John Marks
The Oaks property was originally owned by the Cattell family from the late 17th or early 18th century. The Cattells were some of the earliest European residents of the Ashley River Historic District and owned a number of properties stretching across the Lowcountry. In fact, John Drayton’s first wife, Sarah Cattell, was likely born on The Oaks plantation. The Cattell family name nearly disappeared following the American Civil War, and The Oaks saw a period of phosphate mining before Pierre Manigault (1927-2004) purchased the property in the mid-20th century as part of the holdings maintained by Evening Post Industries. With time and research, more information will be forthcoming as we work to better understand and protect this important cultural and historical resource. Your generous support of Drayton Hall was instrumental in protecting The Oaks, forever. There is much left to protect though, and we ask your continued support in protecting our historic surroundings as we continue the march to protect and preserve the Ashley River Historic District. draytonhall.org
November 4, 2021 Webinar – “Irrational Order:” From the Fall of Constantinople to the Design of Drayton Hall November 13, 2021 Walking Tour - The Hutchinson House on Edisto Island with Edisto Island Open Land Trust
November 20, 2021 Welcome Back Family Bulb Planting Day at Drayton Hall DECEMBER December 2, 2021 Webinar: Charles Drayton and the Scottish Enlightenment December 16, 2021 Virtual Book Club: with author Eric Sean Crawford
For more event information and registration visit draytonhall.org
Save the Date Charleston Spring Antiques Show PREVIEW PARTY MARCH 31, 2022 benefiting
DRAYTON HALL PRESERVATION TRUST Drayton Hall will premiere never-before seen objects from the Drayton Hall Collections in an exhibit developed exclusively for this event 7 pm to 9:30 pm VIP at 6 pm
The Gaillard Center Charleston, South Carolina
Advance reservations and questions welcomed: Lela Solomon at 601-918-1953