An Architectural Gem

Today, Tim and I made our way back to the coast for a visit to Charleston, South Carolina.  Charleston is one of my favorite cities, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with Tim.  On our way, we stopped at Drayton Hall, one of the many plantations along the Ashley River near Charleston.



A Beautiful Reflection

Built in 1738, Drayton Hall is the finest example of Georgian-Palladian style architecture in America and is the oldest preserved plantation house in America open to the public.  It’s a magnificent house and another favorite of mine. 


Outstanding Example of Georgian-Palladian Style Architecture

Drayton Hall had never been “modernized” when it was purchased by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Neither electricity nor plumbing had ever been installed.  What I find intriguing is that the house has been preserved, not restored.  What this means is that the house has not been restored to a particular period in time, but has been preserved as it was received from the Drayton family in 1974.  Very few house museums today seem to use this approach.  In addition, the house is not furnished.  As a result, the tour focuses entirely on the architecture and the history of the house and family.  There are no distractions to take your eye away from the amazing woodwork.


The Landscape Is Also Beautiful

The grounds at Drayton Hall have also remained undisturbed, and we thoroughly enjoyed walking down to the river and sitting there for a bit.  It was so nice and quiet, and we missed that tranquility as we made our way through the heavy traffic around Charleston.


Along the Ashley River

We are staying at the campground at James Island County Park.  It’s a beautiful park and a very nice campground.  It even has full hookups.  The campground will be full this weekend, something that we are not used to.  Most of the places we’ve stayed have been mostly empty, so it will be interesting to see how we react to all of the crowds and commotion.