Guest posting by Bob Beatty, Vice President for Programs, American Association for State and Local History

I have been a history geek for as long as I can remember. It is a mantle I wear proudly and one that was confirmed in various Beatty family vacation photos I recently looked through. There are images of me in costume in an old time photo booth, standing by cannons at various sites, and looking at the Gettysburg statue of General John Buford, an ancestor.

Our vacations could be tracked in the family station wagon trips we made from south Florida through the Southeast and up the Eastern Seaboard. We took trips to St. Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, Richmond, the Civil War battlefields in and around Northern Virginia, and to Gettysburg. We visited forts, antebellum homes, battlefields, just about anything historic that I had found in some random guidebook or had seen on one of the brown signs by the highway (you follow the brown signs too, right?).

I developed a very deep and personal connection to historic sites through these visits and a love for not only the sites and artifacts, but for museums and cultural institutions as a whole. I felt a connection to the history I so loved to read in books that continues in me to this very day.

In the 1980s, I visited Drayton Hall in South Carolina for the first time. I remember initially being unimpressed by its bare-bones interpretation. I was so used to antebellum homes dressed out in all their finery that Drayton Hall’s interpretation and emphasis on historic preservation was initially lost on me.

But after spending an afternoon there, I was soon hooked. I recognized that history doesn’t have to be gussied up to be interesting or to convey something important about the past, an idea I have carried with me philosophically ever since.   And to this day, I still covet the rice spoon that my mother got on that visit.

A few years later, we visited again (shown in the attached photo). I was in my sophomore year of college and a history major. While not yet sure what the heck I was going to do when I finished school, my deep and abiding connection to history and historic places remained. I did not imagine that one day I might be in a position to impact others like I had been impacted at Drayton Hall.

My parents initially instilled in me the importance of preservation of historic and natural resources. Probably the most tangible lesson I learned about preservation came during a trip to Florida Caverns State Park (if memory serves). The caverns were lit, emphasizing the beauty of the natural formations. As we toured, our guide implored us not to touch anything. “You’ll have the chance at the end of the tour.” And have our chance we did. At the end, there was one stalagmite/stalactite formation that had grown together into a single column (I’ve since forgotten what that’s called, I got a “C” in geology in college). The guide encouraged us to touch it. It was black and disgusting.

This taught me a lesson that has remained with me for almost 30 years now. Without careful care or handling, our precious past would cease to exist or become sullied and almost unrecognizable.

Twenty-five years after the cave tour Marianna, Florida, and over 25 years since my first visit to Drayton Hall, I now find myself working at the American Association for State and Local History. I am now in a position to affect change and advocate for history organizations and (hopefully) make a difference in a real and meaningful way through AASLH’s programs and publications.

In many ways, my passion for my work comes directly from the deep connections to the past I made at sites like Drayton Hall. It is these “plant the seed” moments that we at historic sites and museums seek in our education and interpretive programs, yet we often have so few instances that we can point to that demonstrate how that seed has taken hold. It has taken hold in me in a myriad of ways, not least of which is my career choice, and, of course, bringing my young daughters to historic sites on a regular basis (see the photo of us at Lookout Mountain National Park a few years back).

So don’t overlook the meaningful connections you may be making with your audiences. They may simmer for years and manifest themselves in one’s career path and life’s work.

Do you have a memorable moment of inspiration at a historic site?  How do you remember your childhood visits to historic sites or museums?  Please share your experiences with us.

Posted by Joseph Mester, Project Assistant

Preservation work has begun on the portico!  The goal of the project is to complete the final phase of a multi-year project to protect and preserve the exterior of Drayton Hall.         

As a first step, the crew from Richard Marks Restorations arrived last week to investigate possible water damage in the infrastructure of the portico.  They began by removing a section of cornice and roof boards along the north wall of the portico’s first floor ceiling.  When they did, they found clear evidence of rot in the wood below, which means water is somehow leaking through the upper deck of the portico.  Their next step will be to determine the best technique to correct the leaks and to remove the rotten wood.

Preservation work on the portico begins on the north side.

This work has provided an inside view of the portico’s structure, and reveals a story of changes made over time.  Just this small opening shows us three different generations of paint on a fascia board.   The white paint is from the twentieth century, the bluish-green paint above is from the late-nineteenth century Victorian styling added after the Civil War, and the beige color at the top may be the original paint applied to the exterior woodwork.  The way these layers were covered shows that it is likely the ceiling of the portico was lowered a few inches over the centuries.  

A fascia board has been revealed showing at least three different generations of paint. The "stacking" of these layers also suggests that the ceiling of the portico was lowered several times.

Looking inside the structure, we can see that the original floor joists were removed from the east wall of the house.  The pockets that once held the joists were then filled with brick bats and cement.  The Draytons used cement and concrete in other repairs in the early decades of the 20^th century.  So, the use of cement here tells us that those joists were removed during that time period, likely as part of other major portico repairs undertaken in the 1930s.    

The next step of this project is to complete repairs to the infrastructure of the portico.  Craftsmen will also try to remove the latex paint (which traps moisture) from the limestone columns and replace it with a lime-based whitewash (which allows the stone to breathe).  

The project  also includes the rehabilitation of the windows.  All failing paint will be removed from window sills, headers, and jambs.  Where rot is identified it will be removed and repaired; broken window panes will be replaced as needed.

While work continues on the portico, preservation craftsmen will be repainting and repairing the historic windows.

The work is expected to continue through the end of the year and offers a great opportunity to see preservation in action!  This is just one of several projects we have slated for this fall.  Funding for portions of the project have been provided by the Historic Sites Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the South Carolina Budget and Control Board.  If you would like to contribute to the preservation of the portico and the windows, please consider making a donation through the Drayton Hall website.

Do you love finding out new things about the past? Ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes at a historic site or a museum?   Do you enjoy challenging yourself by learning new things?  Are you looking for a new opportunity to contribute your skills to an engaging and lively team of professionals?  If so, a position as a part-time interpreter/educator may be right for you.

Drayton Hall is currently expanding and diversifying its interpretive staff.  We are soliciting applications from dynamic individuals interested in contributing  to the site and sharing its history with the public.  The full position description can be downloaded by clickling here: Interpreter Job Description Sept 09

In addition to giving tours of the approximately 271 year-old main house, interpreters also provide special programs for visitors focusing on African American history, archaeology, social and military history, marsh ecosystems, and more.  Flexible, dependable, and enthusiastic people with a love of history, the Lowcountry, and interacting with people of all ages make ideal candidates.   Training and on-going learning opportunities are provided.  For additional insights on the job from a few current  interpreters & educators, take a look at a few of our blog posts including this one posted last May and this one posted in October. 

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Drayton Hall, Department of Museum Interpretation, 3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414 or alternatively you may email a resume and cover letter to craig_tuminaro@draytonhall.org. Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered.

Last week, at the annual meeting of the American Association for State and Local History in Indianapolis, Indiana, Drayton Hall Director of Museum Interpretation Craig Tuminaro presented a session he organized on how historic sites are using technology and social networking tools in innovative and productive ways. Craig was joined by Kara Edie, Visitors Services and Marketing Coordinator at the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, and Erin Carlson Mast, Curator and Site Adminsitrator at President Lincoln’s Cottage, who shared their experiences and thoughts on working with social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and how their visitors – on-line and off – have interacted with their blogs and learned more about their sites.

One of the main questions the session presented was how sites can be strategic in their use of these new tools, and how the investments of time and resources that staff at historic sites make in these tools can be measured.  Here are some of the other questions Craig and the other presenters explored in the session:

• Is it enough to establish a presence, or do visitors and/or on-line users expect something more?
• Is the Web becoming “a participatory ghetto, a dumping ground of experimentation ?”* If so, is it time to move beyond experimentation?
• In this time of economic uncertainly, is it still acceptable to invest in new endeavors when the payoff is perhaps uncertain or unproven? 
• How can we evaluate the impact of this experimentation – in technology, in social media, in other web-based endeavors – at our sites?
• How can historic sites determine what is a reasonable “return on investment,” and how do you establish realistic expectations?
• Are the “new” audiences – fans, commentators, bloggers – turning into visitors, members, donors, or supporters?

*Nina Simon, “Bait and Switch,” Museum, July-August 2009, 33.

You can listen to a podcast of the entire session by clicking here.  After brief presentations by the three speakers, a lively discussion followed on what’s working (and what isn’t).  Notes from that discussion were taken and are attached in the following pdf:  AASLH Web Tech Engage Q&A Points.

We’d love to hear what you think.  Are you a Facebook fan of Drayton Hall?  If so, have you visited Drayton Hall?  Have you become a Friend of Drayton Hall?  If we began to tweet, would you follow us on Twitter?  What other social networking sites would benefit Drayton Hall?

Support for the session presentation was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

If you would like to see some photogrpahs from the first Preservation Wednesday program, visit our Flickr site. 

Many thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers who participated and helped to begin processing the numerous bags of artifacts we have gathered during our recent below-ground investigations of the North Flanker.

The past few months were busy ones for the archaeologists at Drayton Hall. In the previous blog post, our director described the arrival of the “mystery watercolor,” which prompted new excavations to determine the appearance and configuration of the structures that originally connected the Drayton Hall main house to the north flanker building. During these excavations, we not only uncovered significant brick architectural features, but also over 40 bags of artifacts!

Now that we have thousands of artifacts to process, the Preservation Department is excited to introduce a new program called “Preservation Wednesdays.” Beginning this Wednesday, August 19th, we are inviting members of the Friends of Drayton Hall to work as volunteers alongside the Drayton Hall preservation staff. This could be your opportunity to help peel back the layers of time (not to mention centuries’ worth of accumulated dirt and grime) and see the past emerge– right in your very hands!

Encased in years of dirt, the details of this small artifact are impossible to see.

After washing, the fine details of this rim sherd, dating from the early 1700s, can now be seen.

 We are beginning the program with a focus on the recently excavated artifacts; the first step in the process is to wash all of the ceramic, glass, and metal artifacts. As we clean the artifacts, the details and history of the materials used at Drayton Hall really begin to shine through! This Wednesday, attendees of the April 2009 I Dig Drayton Hall program are joining the Preservation Staff to begin the program. If you are a Friend of Drayton Hall and are interested in participating in future Preservation Wednesdays, please contact Sarah Stroud by e-mail (Sarah_Stroud@draytonhall.org) or by phone 843-769-2637. If you would like to become a Friend and participate, you can join on-line through our website.

The Mystery Watercolor dated 1765.

Watercolor Mystery Solved! (So Far.)

I’ve been asked to recount the story of the historical detective work that led us to identify the owner of the mysterious watercolor of Drayton Hall, dated 1765, which was sent to us anonymously in September 2007. I’m happy to do so, especially since it means I can acknowledge and thank all the people, including my fellow detectives, who contributed to its success -– because without them, there would be no story.

To begin: in September 2007, I received the copy of the watercolor you see in the image above, purported to be dated 1765. There was no note, and the envelope was simply postmarked Winchester, VA, zip code, 22602-6754. Prior to its arrival, no one had seen such an image of Drayton Hall, nor had the prominent presence of colonnades even been suspected. In fact, no 18th-century image of Drayton Hall had ever been found, the earliest having been dated to c. 1845. But was the watercolor authentic? And who owned it?

To answer the first question, architectural historians and archaeologists have been hard at work, with promising, though not conclusive, results to date.

To answer the second question required historical fieldwork in Winchester itself. Since I’d done similar sleuthing for historical houses for the National Museum of American History, Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village, and other museums, I hoped that what I’d learned could still be of use, so I took up the challenge.

Upon receipt of the copy of the watercolor, I called the post office in Winchester to ask if they could identify the location of the 9-digit zip code, but they politely refused, citing privacy policies. I then followed the first rule of fieldwork: start with who you know. So I called Elizabeth McClung, director of Belle Grove, the National Trust historic site near Winchester, and she advised me to contact Becky Ebert, county archivist, who “knows everybody.”

The envelope it was mailed in - postmarked Wincester, VA.

It took me a while, but last April I was in Virginia and called Becky, and drove over to Winchester and met with her. She proved to be quite knowledgeable and tactful, and kindly introduced me to her friends with the post office. Though they were interested in helping Becky and me, the rules for privacy protection still prohibited them from telling us the location of the “6754” of the zip code. They asked me to write a letter, which they might or might not deliver. I did, with Becky’s help, but received no reply.

The mysterious watercolor had aroused so much interest among our staff and others striving to solve this mystery. Among them was Anne Drayton Nelson, daughter of the last owner of Drayton Hall and a devoted friend, who called me in June, saying that a friend of hers had gone online and found that the “6754” referred to Bedford Drive in Winchester. Outstanding! Now we knew where it was -– not a single residence but a street. I “Google-earthed” it and saw it was a short cul de sac in a suburban development. With the street name in hand, Dawn Brogan, my executive assistant and fellow detective, was able to go online and identify the names of each of the Bedford Drive residents.

The opportunity to visit Bedford Drive came in late June because I was in Washington for National Trust meetings. From there I rented a car, drove to Winchester, and the next morning Becky and I headed over. To give credibility and to serve as “leave-behinds”, I carried with me Drayton Hall brochures, copies of our newsletter and of the recent Preservation magazine with the article about Drayton Hall, plus copies of the watercolor itself and my business cards.

When we arrived, I saw a lady walking down to her mailbox, and thanks to Dawn’s list of residents, I knew she was Mrs. Nancy Nettlerodt. So I walked over to her, saying “Hello, Mrs. Nettlerodt, I’m George McDaniel from Charleston, SC, and I’m here trying to solve a history mystery, connecting Winchester to Charleston, and with me is Becky Ebert, county archivist. “ Becky had remained in the car, but when Mrs. Nettelerodt heard her name, she exclaimed, “Oh, I know Becky. I was just with her mother this morning!” So Becky got out, and they hugged, and Becky explained the mystery we were trying to solve.

The History Sleuths of Winchester, VA

While Mrs. Nettlerodt didn’t recognize the picture, she was eager to help and introduced Becky and me to her immediate neighbors. None recognized the watercolor, but Blaine Dunn, who lived across the street and who’s very interested in history, offered to take us around to the rest of the neighborhood. He introduced us to Janet Colt and other neighbors, who were intrigued, but unable to identify it. Blaine then volunteered to continue the search since there were a number of neighbors not at home. I gave him copies of my materials to give to them.

Helpful Bedford Drive Residents

Becky and I then went to the offices of the newspaper The Winchester Star, where Becky had set up an interview with editors Adrian O’Connor and Frances Lowe. Their interests too were piqued by the mystery, and after extensive conversations and reviews of my materials, they volunteered to run a story the next week. I then left Winchester, disappointed in part because we hadn’t found the owner but satisfied that the fieldwork had been complete. I was just going to have to wait.

The Winchester Star article by Adrian O'Connor

The next Tuesday, Blaine Dunn called to say that he’d not had success but some good possibilities remained. The next day he called with great news: he’d found the owner! It was one of his neighbors, who had not been at home during the day, and the man wanted me to call him. I did so that night and had a most informative and enjoyable conversation. He wishes to remain anonymous.

On Friday, Becky called to report that Adrian O’Connor had great news. The owner had also responded to the story in the newspaper and had acknowledged to Adrian his ownership of the watercolor. So both fieldwork approaches — the neighborhood search and the newspaper story — had brought results.

In early August, Carter Hudgins, our director of preservation, and I are going up to meet with Becky and the watercolor’s owner. Anne Drayton Nelson, daughter of Charles Drayton, the last owner of Drayton Hall, is going to accompany us since she lives in Montpelier, VA. Matt Webster, former director of preservation at Drayton Hall and now architectural conservator at Colonial Williamsburg, may be joining us. Together we hope to examine the original watercolor and resolve a number of questions: Is it authentic to c. 1765? Are there watermarks or other telltale evidence to support that date? Does the clarity of the original enable historians to discern more clearly clues about the 18th-century site plan and architecture of Drayton Hall? Was, for example, the colonnade a walkway or simply a colonnaded wall or screen, which is what archaeological evidence to date is suggesting.

There will be more to follow, but this concludes the fieldwork phase of the research on the still-mysterious watercolor of Drayton Hall, c. 1765.

- Dr. George W. McDaniel, executive director, Drayton Hall

The story continues! Here is a video taken one week after the previous video posting on the current archaeological investigations of the north flanker.

 

As a tribute to Philip Simmons, white ribbons adorn the ironwork he helped to shape.

This past week, the country lost one of its national treasures when Mr. Philip Simmons, the famed Charleston blacksmith, passed away.  Mr. Simmons’ work has been documented and appreciated for years, and the ironwork he created, including gates, grills, panels, and railings, are now appreciated as cultural and artistic icons. 

While his works are seen throughout downtown Charleston, in places both private and prominent, few people know that Mr. Simmons was also a preservationist, lending his expertise and talent to the centuries-old ironwork of Drayton Hall. 

In the mid-1980s, Mr. Simmons was asked to help repair the iron railings on the land and riverfront steps during a stabilization effort of the stone steps and landings.  He repaired and even in some places, replaced, sections of the railing.  But that work was not his first encounter with Drayton Hall.  

Mr. Simmons points to areas he repaired on Drayton Hall's wrought iron harp gate in 1998.

As a young man, he knew many of the African Americans that then lived at Drayton Hall, including Richmond Bowens, who he recalled as a close friend.  After Drayton Hall opened as historic site, and Richmond Bowens worked as the gatekeeper, Mr. Simmons would sometimes drive out to the site, to see and talk with Mr. Bowens, and reflect on the times and people they knew.  

 Mr. Simmons’ was interviewed at Drayton Hall in 1998 and shared his recollections with staff about growing up in Charleston and learning the blacksmithing trade, as well as his inspirations as a craftsmen and an artist, and his thoughts on the ironwork of the house and the repairs he made.  From 1998 until his death, Mr. Simmons continued to be an occasional visitor, most recently with his nephew Ronnie Pringle, to help create a design for a planned African-American memorial at the cemetery and to attend Ways of Remembering, the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Richmond Bowens’ birth last September. 

For the next week or so, white ribbons will adorn the ironwork Mr. Simmons touched and shaped, in recognition of the significant contributions he made to the landscape of the Charleston region.  On your next visit to Drayton Hall, as you move up or down the riverfront steps, pause for a moment with your hand resting on the railings to consider not just the contributions of artisans like Mr. Simmons, but also those many blacksmiths, stone carvers, masons, and other craftsmen, named and unknown, whose work will remain preserved in perpetuity, at Drayton Hall and elsewhere. 

 

More information on Philip Simmons, his life, and his work can be found at The Philip Simmons Foundation and in recent articles in the Charleston’s Post & Courier newspaper.

 

Posted by Phoebe Willis, Educator

Most people want to break out of jail, but some members of the Drayton Hall Interpretation staff wanted to break into the jail –that is the Old City Jail in Charleston, SC. So, we asked Tim Chesser, a part-time interpreter at Drayton Hall, and full-time professor of English and Communications at the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) in Charleston to arrange a tour of the jail. ACBA is the only school in the United States which offers a degree program in traditional building arts.

Now, this is not your average old jail. The current building was constructed in 1802 and has housed a few pirates, lots of Union and Confederate prisoners of war, your standard and hardened criminals and even black sailors who, between 1822 and 1865, were housed there while in port. During the 1886 earthquake, the doors were opened and the prisoners were given an “early release”. The Work House, which was on the eastern side of the present structure, was demolished after the quake due to structural damage. As punishment, owners would often send rebellious slaves to the workhouse.

This illustrious old building now serves as one of two campuses for the college and is a work-in-progress for the students who are engaged in obtaining a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in Applied Science in one of six building arts. They are learning how to frame, plaster, join and shape wood, metal and stone using almost forgotten techniques. Not only did we receive a guided tour of the building, but the second year students demonstrated their individual crafts and explained their academic schedules.

The metal workers explained their project of restoring the gates on the front side of the building. We learned that iron is no longer used in ornamental metal working – steel has taken its place.

Stone masons demonstrated how they prepare measured drawings and then create templates before beginning to carve. We saw a mantelpiece so delicate that you might have thought it was a pencil sketch. Of course, “eggs and darts” were there too.

Carpenters begin by learning to frame with modern lumber and then branch out into traditional methods of framing and joining. The students showed us two methods of constructing a log structure and an example of framing created using salvaged timbers and traditional tools.

Plastering is another area of study and the day before our visit to the jail, we enjoyed a brown bag presentation by ACBA students about the replication of the ceiling in the Great Hall at Drayton. This presentation is the subject of a previous blog.

Our final student, who is studying architectural metal working, explained the academic side of the course work. Yes, they have to study English Literature, history and geometry, but they also must take drawing and drafting, preservation and Spanish.

All of the hard work on crafts projects and hours of study paid off for eight students on May 1, 2009, when seven received bachelor’s degrees and one received an associate. This was the first graduating class and the ceremony was held in Washington Park whose fence the students had helped to repair.

We are grateful to the students and faculty of ACBA who shared their studies and the Old Jail with us. If you would like to stroll by the jail, it is located at 21 Magazine Street in downtown Charleston, SC. The building is not open to the public during the day, but is included on ghost tours offered by some tour companies. For more information about the college, please visit their web site.