F R I E N D S
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D R A Y T O N
H A L L
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E A R S U P P O RT E R S O F D R AY T O N H A L L : The Staff and Board of Trustees of Drayton Hall Preservation Trust are proud to announce the adoption of a new Strategic Plan, a plan that will guide our programs and operations over the next ten years. The development of this plan began in 2017, when our then Board Chair Richard Almeida asked me to chair a new Strategic Planning Committee. Given my prior experience with planning - as a museum director and board member at other organizations I agreed to take on the task.
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Several trustees volunteered to participate in the process, and I want to express great gratitude to Ben Jenkins, Ben Lenhardt, Woody Rash, and Tony Wood for giving their time and expertise to the project. Our first meeting was held on October 16, 2017 - more than four years ago! We wisely sought the help of Dianne Culhane, a Charleston resident with extensive planning experience in both the non-profit and business communities. Without Dianne’s leadership, this process would have taken even longer than four years.
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Each stage of our planning - Mission, Vision, Goals, and Strategies - was attacked through intensive staff sessions, joint staff-committee meetings, and full meetings of the Board of Trustees. While we hoped to finish our work in two years, the pandemic intervened. When we were able to recommence, we necessarily took a changing world into account. And so, we move forward with a new Mission Statement and a tripartite Vision for the Future, accompanied by goals and strategies for work to be accomplished in the first three years. Our success will depend on you, our supporters and donors, and all of us at Drayton Hall look forward to working with you in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Bill Bodine Chair, Board of Trustees
CONTENTS
PRESERVING HISTORIC PLASTER CEILINGS
THE CHARLESTON SPRING ANTIQUES SHOW PREVIEW PARTY
06 ANNUAL FISCAL REPORT
07 WITH GRATITUDE, A YEAR OF PHILANTHROPY
08 UPCOMING EVENTS ON THE COVER: A N N D R AY T O N P E R R Y M I N I A T U R E P O R T R A I T HENRY BENBRIDGE (AMERICAN, 1743-1812) CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1787 WATERCOLOR ON IVORY, GOLD DRAYTON HALL PRESERVATION TRUST DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PAGE FIVE.
LEFT PAGE: AERIAL VIEW OF ASHLEY RIVER HISTORIC DISTRICT PHOTO BY JON MARCEOUX
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reserving Historic Plaster Ceilings:
A Partnership to Investigate
Drayton Hall’s Great Hall Ceiling Do you have a historic plaster ceiling in your home or workplace? Have you ever wondered about its condition or stability? Familiar with stories of sections of historic plaster falling, even when they appear to be in good condition, at Drayton Hall we closely monitor our plaster ceilings. This is a harder undertaking than you might think! Despite Drayton Hall Preservation Trust’s ready access to engineers, architects, and conservators, it has always been a challenge to assess the condition of these ceilings— particularly the one in the Great Hall. These ceilings are beautiful aspects of the architectural character of the houses’ interior and are important historic fabric with stories about various building campaigns and phases in the history of the property. We value these assemblies and historic material… along with worrying about how it is holding up to gravity’s persistent pull. This spring, with partners at the Clemson/College of Charleston Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, and Bennett Preservation Engineering; Drayton Hall’s Curator of Historic Architectural Resources, Trish Smith, is analyzing ways to examine and evaluate the mid-late 19th century ceiling’s condition.
ABOVE: DESPITE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF C O N S E RVAT I O N , T H E G R E AT HALL CEILING HAS SIGNIFICANT CRACKS T H AT W E A R E MONITORING.
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BELOW: L E F T T O R I G H T: STAFF FROM WA R R E N L A S C H C O N S E RVAT I O N , D R AY T O N HALL, BENNETT P R E S E RVAT I O N ENGINEERING, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS, AND CLEMSON/ COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON G R A D UAT E P R E S E RVAT I O N INTRODUCE THE CEILING PROJECT TO STUDENTS.
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In many historic buildings, you can partially assess a plaster ceiling by looking beneath the floor above it to examine the condition of the lath and the plaster keys that hold the ceiling in place. However, this isn’t always possible, and it doesn’t always reveal defects between the layers of plaster. For this reason, conservators often choose to gather information from a tactile sounding method. This requires experience, access to the surface, and a careful slow-moving process of lightly tapping to listen for evidence of delamination and voids. Other techniques that leverage new technologies and equipment are entering the plaster investigation space, but there is no clear guidance about the advantages and limitations of some of these more tech-forward techniques. There are many techniques to choose from with extreme variations in availability, affordability, and applicability from one project to the next. Navigating such variables is a common stumbling block for many owners and managers of historic buildings. In accordance with Drayton Hall’s preservation philosophy, the “best” techniques are the least destructive ones. Non-destructive techniques (NDTs) are methods that enable us to evaluate hidden conditions, like sub-surface cracks or voids, without harming the historic material. So, testing and evaluating the wide range of available NDTs is the goal of this collaborative project. Smith and her colleagues will publish a review of current literature on this topic and create a matrix to aid building managers and owners in their efforts to evaluate their own plaster ceilings in a proactive manner. Funded in part by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, the impact of this innovative project will go far beyond the analysis of the ceiling in the Great Hall. Clemson Associate Professor Amalia Leifeste is excited for this opportunity that is allowing her students to, “step into a project that moves the field of historic preservation forward in our understanding, while gaining real-life, hands-on experience testing the efficacy of non-destructive techniques. It will also be great for their resumes, because they’re working on a high-profile project at Drayton Hall--it shows the caliber of work they can produce.”
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“It’s such a pervasive problem,” says Smith, “so many people around the world are living and working under historic plaster ceilings and yet it is frustratingly hard to predict when those ceilings might fail and hurt someone. This project is an important step for being more proactive than reactive.” Drayton Hall is proud to be partnering with our colleagues to develop better protocols for the evaluation of plaster ceilings and to be continuing our tradition of leadership and innovation in the art and science of historic preservation.
Preview Party...
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
The centerpiece of the exhibit was a spectacular c.1805, London-made, silver gilt tea and coffee service owned by Charles Drayton (1743-1820). The five-piece service consists of a coffeepot on a tripod warmer, teapot, cream jug, and sugar dish. The service was made by London silversmith John Emes (1762-1810). The neoclassical design of the service is highlighted by the coffeepot accented with the silhouette of a woman’s head applied at the joint of the neck and handle and the stand with three splayed legs terminating in lion’s paw feet. The service was a gift of the late Mr. Charles H. Drayton III and the late Mrs. Martha Drayton Mood. Also debuting in the exhibit was a fantastic example of Charleston made silver in the c. 1754 American coin silver ladle made by Charleston silversmith William Wilkings (Wilkins). The ladle is marked four times on the back of the handle with Wilkings mark. The ladle is engraved on the handle with a D over R and E commemorating the marriage of Robert Daniell IV (1724-1789) and Elizabeth Russ (1734-1798). Robert Daniell IV descended from Robert Daniell who served as Deputy Governor to the colony of South Carolina in 1716-1717 and is the namesake of Daniel Island. Descending in the Daniell family to their great granddaughter, Sarah Martha Parker (1826-1907), she brought the ladle to her marriage to Charles Drayton III (1814-1852). The ladle was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Drayton, Jr.
ABOVE: COFFEEPOT, ENGLAND C. 1805, SILVER GILT.
LEFT:
DRAYTON HALL MUSEUM COLLECTION.
LADLE, CHARLESTON C.1754,
GIFT OF MR. CHARLES H.
SILVER.
DRAYTON III AND
DRAYTON HALL MUSEUM
MRS. MARTHA DRAYTON
COLLECTION.
MOOD.
GIFT OF MR. AND MRS. FRANK B. AND MARLEY
On T he Cover
DRAYTON, JR.
An exciting new addition to the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust Decorative Arts collection debuted in the exhibit; a miniature portrait of Ann Drayton Perry (1775-1831) painted by Henry Benbridge (1743-1812). Ann was the middle child of John Drayton (1715-1779) and his fourth wife, Rebecca Perry Drayton (1758-1840). In 1787, Benbridge painted miniature portraits of Rebecca, Ann, and Susannah Drayton, Ann’s younger sister. Ann married a distant cousin, Edward Perry in December of 1795. Tragically, Edward died in 1800 at the age of 25 leaving Ann a widow and mother of a young child. Edward’s death was noted in Charles Drayton’s diary on June 4, 1800. The miniature portrait of Ann Drayton Perry was acquired from a private collection in 2020 and represents the first 18th century likeness of a female Drayton family member. The acquisition of the miniature portrait was made possible by the Charles Scott Riley III Foundation through their generous support of the Riley Collections Fund at Drayton Hall. Thank you to our very generous committee members and corporate sponsors for making the Drayton Hall exhibit and The 2022 Charleston Spring Antiques Show Preview Party a great success.
P R EV I EW PA RT Y C O M M I T T E E JILL AND RICHARD ALMEIDA
MARIANNE AND BEN JENKINS
PAT R I C I A M A N I G A U LT
WILLIAM BODINE
SARAH AND JAMES JOHNSON
MARGARET PRITCHARD
BETSY AND JOHN CAHILL
GAIL KAHN
NANCY AND SCOTT SANTI
A L E X A N D R A A N D D AV I D F O X
ANNE AND DICK KEIGHER
E L I Z A B E T H A N D C H A R L E S S U L L I VA N
SUSAN ZISES GREEN
CYNNIE AND PETER KELLOGG
M O L LY T H O M P S O N
BETSY AND CHAPPELL HALSTEAD
S I LV I A A N D J AY K R E H B I E L
DEBRA AND JAMES TREYZ
LESLIE HINDMAN AND JOE GROMACKI
CINDY AND BEN LENHARDT
S A N D R A A N D P H I L I P V I N E YA R D
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ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Report July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 INCOME
EXPENSES
Earned Income $324,261
Program $1,622,820
Contributed Income
Administrative $348,211
$1,403,495
Grant Support $85,513 Endowment Draw $1,496,19 Investment Income
$30,263
$3
,339,729
Fundraising $315,471
$2,286,502
A Year of Philanthropy
Many decades from now, a future preservationist will uncover this wooden girder and know that you had a hand in its placement in the ceiling of the cellar at Drayton Hall. Like this beam and the stair hall it supports, donors like you carry a tremendous load. Though the pandemic persisted throughout fiscal year 2021 your support enabled extraordinary progress between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. You gave us the flexibility to launch our first-ever audio tour of the main house as well as a new walking tour of the property. These initiatives, along with an increased digital presence, resulted in recognition by the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission for the Group or Organization Award in spring 2021. This award recognized a “group or organization that demonstrated extraordinary preservation or interpretation, or made significant contributions toward such efforts, for African American history and culture in South Carolina during 2020.” Thank you for allowing these important improvements to the experience for the more than 13,979 visitors who explored Drayton Hall in person and online during fiscal year 2021. Above: New wood girder, placed on December 16, 2021, Drayton Hall cellar
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Continued
Combined with $606,709 of restricted support from private and public sources, your philanthropy also helped us to investigate and begin several concurrent preservation and research projects, which continue into fiscal year 2022. These initiatives and the resulting partnerships demonstrate marked progress toward DHPT’s strategic priorities to create a wholistic experience, serve diverse audiences, and apply the highest level of stewardship to our invaluable collection of historic objects, buildings, and landscapes. Thank you for preserving Drayton Hall’s potential for discovery, and for fostering a deeper understanding of colonial America, and the evolution of life in the South. It is with deepest appreciation and honor that we introduce Drayton Hall’s virtual donor lists, recognizing the more than 2,210 individuals, corporations, and foundations for their gifts of time, talent or treasure throughout fiscal year 2021. Visit https://www.draytonhall.org/give today to witness the incredible number of friends, families, and organizations that played a role in Drayton Hall’s preservation and progress.
A Partnership to Preserve the Ashley River Historic District
If you have been on site recently, you may have noticed some interesting markers on the ground. Through a partnership with Lowcountry Preservation and Conservation Partners and individual philanthropists, Drayton Hall Preservation Trust will complete a LiDAR survey of its 660 acres and of the entire district’s 23,000 acres. The LiDAR survey will provide a detailed photogrammetric and topographic map with high resolution 3D imagery at a 2-centimeter accuracy. The survey will help identify undiscovered historic sites and features. With a heightened understanding of topography and particularly hydrology, better informed decisions can be made ahead of road construction, zoning, and development. Friend of Drayton Hall Lee Goodman comments, “For me, it’s really exciting to be able to help employ such amazing technology to look at the overall landscape in a way that hasn’t been possible until now. LiDAR has the potential to reveal so much more about the way the entire property was used over time and will help expand the story of the individuals that lived there. It’s going to show things that nobody ever thought to look for.” Goodman serves on Drayton Hall’s Landscape and Archaeology Committee and is helping to fund a LIDAR survey of Drayton Hall. We look forward to sharing the findings with you and our Ashley River Historical District partners. Be sure to check the website for updates.
ABOVE: D R AY TO N H A L L GROUNDS, ENTRANCE, LIDAR SURVEY MARKER. FEBRUARY 2022.
B O T T O M R I G H T: D R AY TO N H A L L SPRING IN BLOOM. SPRING 2022
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NONPROFIT ORG. U . S . P O S TAG E
PA I D 3 3 8 0 A S H L E Y R I V E R R OA D
C H A R L E S TO. N , S C
C H A R L E S TO N , S C
PERMIT NO 1088
2 9 4 1 4
UPCOMING EVENTS S AT U R DAY M AY 07 3:30PM
Prosecco on the Portico
Barbara Shenefield
for
Drayton Hall
T H U R S DAY M AY 1 2 5:00PM
Webinar: John Watson of Colonial Williamsburg on 18th Century Musical Instruments S AT U R DAY M AY 2 1 10:00AM
Walking Tour: Historic Landscape and Lenhardt Garden Walk T H U R S DAY M AY 2 6 5:00 PM
Virtual Book Club: The Allure of Charleston with Susan Sully
For information on these events and more, visit www.bit.ly/DraytonHallEvents
From the Drayton Hall Collection comes an orginial print artwork by Charlottesville, Virginia artist, Barbara Shenefield. Members receive a special member-only-discount for 30% off when purchasing this print online, now through May, 2022 with the code DHBS30. To purchase, visit, bit.ly/DHBS30 A L L I M AG E S A R E C O U RT E SY O F T H E D R AY TO N H A L L P R E S E RVAT I O N T R U S T U N L E S S OT H E R W I S E N OT E D.