After spending a couple of hours around Charleston's historic downtown, we made our way to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company for a nice lunch. Then, driving along the Ashley River about 12 miles, we arrived at Drayton Hall Plantation.
Drayton Hall is the oldest unrestored plantation house in America open to the public. The plantation house is in a continual process of being preserved, but not restored. This means that the house is completely original. The wood carvings in the home's interior are original, the paint on the walls are original, and the decorative plaster ceilings are the original works from nearly 275 years ago.
At the age of only 23, John Drayton had already made a fortune and spared no expense building this home. It was, indeed, a show piece of lavish living. His 630 acre plantation grew rice, indigo, and cattle making him very wealthy.
Construction on the house started in 1738 and ended in 1742. It has survived the revolutionary war, civil war, several major hurricanes, and an earth quake. It was used briefly as a headquarters for the British during the revolutionary war. During the civil war, General Sherman and his Union soldiers marched through the south burning plantations and anything else that could be used to support the Confederates. All of the plantations surrounding the Drayton home were burned. Somehow, this house was spared, so it remains original.
There are many interesting features about this home. But, the one I find most interesting is the outhouse or privy. Call me nuts, but I think it was really cool. When your first name is John and you're wealthy, you wouldn't build just any old outhouse. This one had seven seats! Two of the seven seats were for children and two had arm rests. It makes me wonder if they were all in there at the same time, or maybe they had assigned seats! Perhaps he was thinking those that go together stay together! Plus, it was self flushing! They dug an underground canal from the privy to the Ashley River. Because this section of the River is only 12 miles from Charleston Bay, it rises and falls with the tides. At high tide the river washed away the sewage! Unfortunately, the privy was later converted into an office, so I could only see a drawing of the seven seater. Darn! One of life's little disappointments!
The home has not been lived in since the civil war, and it was only recently opened to the public. They are still learning more about the fantastic gardens that were once here, and they are searching for possible remains of the slave quarters.
This is a painting of what the house looked like in the 1740's. Notice the two smaller buildings that flank the main house. It is not known what they were used for, but one was destroyed in a hurricane and the other by an earth quake. Only their foundations remain now. It is interesting to see how they were connected to the main house.
This is how the front of the home looks today.
The reflection pond located in the front yard was made by hand.
This is a view of the back of the home as seen from the Ashley River.
The Ashley River as seen from the Drayton's back yard.
Here is a live oak tree in the front yard that is believed to be between 300-400 years old! Behind it and to the left is the driveway leading to the front of the house.
Here is one of the main interior rooms. The wood is all hand carved. The interior was only painted twice in 275 years! So, you are looking at the original paint, albeit somewhat faded!
There are still some Drayton descendants living in this area, and they come to visit the home occasionally. But, the home is now owned by a National Historic Trust whose mission is to preserve the home as a historic site.
I hope you enjoyed our Drayton Home tour. Next, we'll be taking a cruise around Charleston Harbor. Stay tuned for that!
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