Drayton Hall facts for kids
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Drayton Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Drayton Hall (front)
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| Nearest city | Charleston, South Carolina and North Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1747–1752 |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000701 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
Drayton Hall is a very old house from the 1700s. It is located on the Ashley River in South Carolina. This special house is about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Charleston, South Carolina.
Drayton Hall is a great example of a building style called Palladian architecture. What makes it truly unique is that it's the only old plantation house on the Ashley River that survived two major wars. It made it through both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War without being destroyed. Because of its history and design, it is now a National Historic Landmark.
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What Drayton Hall Looks Like
The front of Drayton Hall faces away from the river. It has a large, two-part porch that sticks out. This porch looks a lot like a similar feature on an old Italian villa near Venice. That villa was designed by a famous architect named Andrea Palladio.
The way Drayton Hall is planned inside also takes ideas from Palladio. It might even be based on drawings from an old architecture book published in London in 1728. When you walk in, there's a big central hall with a grand staircase that splits into two. Behind this hall is a large main room, with other square and rectangular rooms on either side.
The Story of Drayton Hall
Building the House
The Drayton Hall mansion was built for John Drayton Sr. He bought the land in 1738. John Drayton Sr. was the third son in his family. This meant he probably wouldn't inherit his family's original home, which is now called Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. So, he decided to build his own grand house.
For a long time, people thought the house was started in 1738 and finished in 1752. But in 2014, scientists looked closely at the wood used in the attic. They found that the trees were cut down in the winter of 1747–48. This means the attic was built around that time. So, the house was likely ready for people to live in by the early 1750s.
Life at the Plantation
Drayton Hall is on a large piece of land, about 630 acres (2.5 km²). This land was used as a plantation. People grew crops like indigo (used to make blue dye) and rice there.
There were also 13 small buildings on the property where about 78 enslaved people lived. These individuals were forced to work on the plantation.
Over seven generations, the Drayton family took care of the house. However, some of the smaller buildings next to the main house did not survive. An earthquake damaged the laundry building in 1886. Then, a hurricane destroyed the kitchen building in 1893.
Drayton Hall Today
Drayton Hall is part of the Ashley River Historic District. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation owns Drayton Hall. The Drayton Hall Preservation Trust helps manage it. They opened the house to the public in 1976, so everyone can visit and learn about its history.
Gallery
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Drayton Hall plantation house viewed from behind one of several live oaks.
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Drayton Hall plantation house by Carol M. Highsmith.
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The Ashley river, just behind Drayton Hall
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Rear view of Drayton Hall
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Main living space at Drayton Hall
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Drayton Hall staircase
