Preservation Wednesday celebrates 3rd Anniversary!

Three years ago, in August of 2009, the Drayton Hall Preservation Department was faced with a back-log of artifacts to process from the 2008/2009 archaeological field work; over forty bags of artifacts sat waiting to be washed. Having noticed the enthusiasm that our Drayton Hall Friends displayed over all things archaeological, the Preservation Department created an opportunity for the Friends of Drayton Hall to volunteer alongside the Drayton Hall Preservation Department staff. “Preservation Wednesday” was the result and is a hands-on experience open to Friends of Drayton Hall.

The inaugural meeting of Preservation Wednesday, August 2009. Washing artifacts clockwise from bottom left, Jessica Garrett, Charlotte and Bill Collier, Peggy Reider, Betsy McAmis, Jackie Bowe, Leilani DeMuth and Rita Wilkie.

In the three years that have passed, our Preservation Wednesday volunteers have washed thousands of artifacts, learned the differences in ceramic types, enhanced their archaeological vocabularies, separated and bagged clean artifacts and helped sweep the cobwebs out of Drayton Hall. They also get an occasional behind-the-scenes peek at the larger archaeological collections and come behind the ropes during archaeological excavations for a closer look.

When we began this volunteer program, the Drayton Hall Preservation Department had no idea what a success our experiment would become. It has been a delight to get to know such a wonderful, dedicated group of Drayton Hall Friends! In addition to their continual support of the ongoing preservation efforts at Drayton Hall, they are willing to literally get their hands dirty (make that very dirty!) in order to keep the many Drayton Hall archaeological projects moving along.

During the past year 22 volunteers have contributed 174 volunteer hours to Drayton Hall’s Preservation Wednesday program—2 more hours than the previous year and that was even with breaks in February and July! Over the past three years we have had the pleasure of having 36 different individuals volunteer for Preservation Wednesdays for a grand total of 610 volunteer hours! Upon marking our third anniversary recognition was given to three volunteers who have each volunteered over 50 hours each to the Preservation Wednesday program- Mrs. Jackie Bowe and Mrs. Leilani DeMuth each volunteered 52 hours, and Mrs. Rita Wilkie volunteered 54 hours.

From left to right we have Sarah Stroud, Drayton Hall Archaeologist, Leilani DeMuth, Jackie Bowe and Rita Wilkie. These three ladies are “Preservation Wednesday Stars.” They have each volunteered over 50 hours since the program began.

Our “Preservation Wednesday Stars” were presented with reproduction plaster stars, modeled after the stars found in the cast-plaster ceiling of the lower great hall of Drayton Hall. These stars are created by students from the College of the Building Arts for the Drayton Hall gift shop. Each and every volunteer at Drayton Hall is incredibly valued and the members of the Drayton Hall staff are continually thankful for all of the work that is accomplished with such enthusiasm and enjoyment!

Preservation Wednesday members enjoying lunch at Bishop Gadsden with Mr. Charles H. Drayton III and Porter Smith (d. 2012). From left, Jackie Bowe, Bonnie Sykes, Leilani DeMuth, Gail Morrill, Rita Wilkie, Maryjane Islan, Tony Islan and Sarah Stroud.

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.

Guineans Visit the Lowcountry: By Dr. George McDaniel

Guinea, West Africa

On March 29^th, I was delighted to welcome to Drayton Hall, for the first time, a group of delegates from Guinea, West Africa, and their guide, Dr. Ken Kelly, an anthropologist from the University of South Carolina.  The impetus for their visit was an archaeological project by Dr. Kelly investigating a series of sites associated with the slave trade along the west coast of Africa, especially the one on the Rio Pongo, a coastal river of Guinea. The visitors came to see firsthand the legacies of the Atlantic slave trade and to explore the connections in culture and history forged during the 18^th and 19^th centuries between coastal regions of West Africa and South Carolina. Their itinerary also included a meeting with Mayor Joe Riley in Charleston and visits to Middleton Place and Caw Caw Interpretive Center, operated by Charleston County Parks and Recreation. Drayton Hall was fortunate indeed to be included in this effort to gain insights into this dark chapter of our shared histories.

Organized by Dr. Ken Kelly and historian Jane Aldrich, historical consultant here in Charleston, the group consisted of  Ahmed Tijane Cisse, Minister of Culture and Heritage from the republic of Guinea, El Hadj Ibrahima Fall, the Rector of the Nelson Mandela University in Conakry, the capital of Guinea,  and Mr. Moussa Fofana, the son of the Chief of Farenya, plus several of Dr. Kelly’s graduate students.  Since French is the national language of Guinea, an interpreter was needed. Although I spoke French fluently 40 years ago, I’ve become somewhat rusty, so I was delighted to have Dr. Kelly’s wife, Cecile, as our interpreter. She spoke beautiful French, and the visit gave me the opportunity to converse in French from time to time, which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Dr. McDaniel pours over maps with Mr. Fall and Mr. Cisse.

For their visit, I was hoping that our learning could become a two-way street, that an ongoing relationship could be developed, and that we could sustain the dialogue. Thus when our guests arrived, I showed them around the site and explained about the development of African-American culture in the Lowcountry, but also sought to learn as much as possible about traditional life in contemporary Guinea and about possible ongoing connections between our two regions.

Much of my inquiry was inspired by my time in Togo as a Peace Corps volunteer in 1968. While there, I saw firsthand traditions in rural villages practiced by Africans and African Americans during slavery and after freedom.  As we began our discussions, our talk centered around the topography of these two geographically similar areas. When one looks at aerials (Fig.1) of the Lowcountry juxtaposed against the topography of the coastal region of Guinea, it is apparent that these two coastal regions are geographically similar. We discussed with the Guineans the idea that when enslaved peoples were brought from Africa, they found themselves in a place that at least visually looked like their native Africa.

Figure 1. The ACE Basin in the Lowcountry as compared to Rio Pongo, Guinea. (Click on image to enlarge)

The discussion took an interesting turn as we spoke about how topography and the introduction of malaria shaped development patterns in the Lowcountry.  As malaria was endemic to coastal Africa, enslaved Africans had more resistance to the deadly disease while Northern European settlers were more likely to succumb, thus minimizing the efficacy and profitability of white indentured servants and maximizing that of enslaved Africans.

Our discussion then shifted to medicine and to the Conakry National Museum and its major collection of masks and fetishes relating to traditional African medicine. So often the portrayal of this type of medicine is characterized by witch doctors and voodoo. During my time in Togo, I became close friends with Monsieur Daniel, a traditional medicine man, and would occasionally accompany him on his rounds to family compounds in the nearby villages.  What he demonstrated was counter to the traditional stereotypes of African medicine from Tarzan-like movies. He would take

Dr. Ken Kelly demonstrates the use of the mortar and pestle in the connections tent.

with him his bag of medicines and along the way might gather roots, bark, or leaves from plants and mix them into potions. He began his examination with prayer, and before administering  to a skin sore, for example, he would first nick himself and apply the salve to himself, and then to the patient. If the problem was a stomach issue, and the medicine was a liquid, he would first drink the potion, then give it to the patient, and conclude with a respectful prayer. There were successful remedies, but if they weren’t, Monsieur Daniel would recommend U.N. clinic in the village to his patients, although the clinic did not reciprocate.  All of this showed how we needed to gather as much information as we could about these traditional practices and not simply to dismiss them as “superstitions.” In fact, Mr. Cisse explained that progress has been made in that direction and that in modern Guinean hospitals today, there are Western trained doctors working alongside traditional African healers. This exemplifies the type of cross cultural exchange that is so necessary for us to understand one another’s history, and I was glad to hear of it.

As we spoke, I remembered my many discussions with Richmond Bowens, who was born here in 1908 and who was a wonderful source of oral history. Among his recollections were accounts of traditional medical practices of the African American families at Drayton Hall. We had audiotaped Richmond as he went from plant to plant, explaining their medicinal uses, and he concluded by pointing to the woods and stating simply, “This was our drugstore when I was growing up.” While plants differed, of course, from Africa and traditions had been exchanged with others over time,  it is amazing to think that these traditional ways of thinking and of turning to nature for medicine had been brought over on slave ships to Drayton Hall and persisted into the 20^th century.

We also discussed rice cultivation, as Guinea is located on what is often referred to as the Rice or Grain Coast of Africa. Even today, rice is grown there on the wet coastlands, and as they described the methods used, they sounded familiar to the practices used at Drayton Hall in centuries past. In order to control water levels in the diked fields of rice, for example, they used a hollowed-out tree trunk with a control door at each end. Although the trunk used at Drayton Hall differed from this African one, the principles of operation were similar.

After a lengthy discussion, we toured the grounds, starting at the Connections Tent. The Guineans immediately spotted the sweet grass baskets as well as the similar African baskets of woven grass brought here from Senegal by anthropologist Dr. Deborah Mack. Mr. Fall told us that these baskets are still made and used in Guinea for a variety of purposes, including as fanner baskets for rice. They also recognized a mortar and pestle reproduction that we use for demonstrating hand milling of rice. The Guineans said that these methods are still used in rural villages today, though they use two slightly different versions than ours. One has a wider mouth and was used for the removal of the husk from the kernel, while the second, with a more narrow mouth, was used to remove the bran.

Archaeologist Sarah Stroud shows our visitors colonoware sherds from the Drayton Hall Collection.

We then headed into the main house for a tour, where archaeologist Sarah Stroud had set up an exhibit of 18^th century colonoware from Drayton Hall. Our guests were excited by this exhibit as they explained that low-fired pottery like this was still made in villages in Guinea, and described the two-to-three day process villagers used to create it. They also recognized one jar in particular from Drayton Hall’s collection that is still used today in their country to burn incense for funeral services or simply to freshen up their homes. The same vessel was also used by doctors to prepare and administer medicinal potions. When I asked why that form was preferred, they said they didn’t know, just that traditional doctors preferred them. Thus the Guineans and Dr. Kelly were able to suggest a possible interpretation of an anonymous 18^th-century colonoware sherd artifact from Drayton Hall, one that connects it to the people who made it and their culture, a possible interpretation hard to come by otherwise and that now can be tested.

The visit was such an exciting exchange of dialogue, and I think we learned as much from the Guineans as they learned from us about Drayton Hall’s history. I was honored to be invited to Guinea to conduct fieldwork on the traditional practices we discussed and to get actual video documentation of them being performed. Although I doubt such an endeavor would be possible for me, I truly hope that some time in the near future, this can be accomplished by Dr. Kelly or by Guineans themselves.  In our fast-paced and modern world, we have an imperative to document and record as many of these traditional practices as we can in order to study these cultures and their ongoing connections, so that we can learn from them, and in turn they can learn from us. Although this was the first time we had received visitors from Guinea, I truly hope that it will not be the last.

What is it?

One of the most frequent questions Drayton Hall archaeologists are asked is if we ever find coins. Most often the answer is “no” as the artifacts we recover are discards from the past, and like now, people do not generally throw out money

The back of the coin depicts the words "One Cent" surrounded by a wreath. (Enlarged for detail).

intentionally with the trash. However, during this summer’s excavation near the northwest basement door of Drayton Hall, a total of 4 pennies were found! Three were modern, most likely lost by visitors since 1974, but one captured our interest.

It was an 1857 “Flying Eagle” penny found in excavation unit 1085, level B. What makes this particular penny so special was that these coins were only minted for three years, from 1856-1858. The front of the coin depicts an eagle in flight while the back depicts the words, “One Cent,” surrounded by a wreath. Only 17,450,000 of these coins were minted in Philadelphia, making them a rather rare coin. The mint found that the images were difficult to produce, however, so the flying eagle design was abandoned in 1859 when the “Indian Head” penny was introduced into circulation. While we don’t know who owned the penny or when they dropped it, the penny does help us determine that the stratigraphic layer it was found in dates to 1857 or later. Perhaps it belonged to Dr. John Drayton (1831-1912) or Charles Henry Drayton I (1847-1915)?

What is it?

Figure 1. This Bureau Bookcase, a rare example of English elite furniture in the American colonies, is believed to have been purchased by John Drayton, the original owner of Drayton Hall.

During the middle of the 18th century, furniture ornamented with brass, tortoiseshell, and exotic wood inlays was of the highest fashion in Europe and especially London, England. Influenced by the late 17th-century work of French cabinet maker Andre-Charles Boulee (1642-1732), a group of five British cabinet makers began creating equally lavish pieces in London

Figure 2. Brass furniture inlay from Drayton Hall archaeological investigations. While only a fragment, such artifacts provide invaluable information about 18th century material culture, fashion, and consumption patterns. Actual size: 2"

from the 1730′s; in 2009, material evidence of their creations was identified above and below ground at Drayton Hall.

Drayton Hall’s own bureau bookcase, for instance, is a rare example of English 18th-century elite furniture-richly ornamented with tortoiseshell and wood inlay details (Fig. 1). Additonal examples of English elite furniture are beginning to surface through archaeological work. As shown in Fig. 2, fragments of brass furniture inlay were uncovered in 2009 through excavations.

While the fragments are heavily corroded and twisted from the destruction of the furniture, a close inspection reveals intricate designs. The presence of such artifacts links John Drayton to contemporary English fashions and emphasizes the efforts he placed upon acquiring them for his home in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

“Our Barbadian Connection” By Phoebe Willis

For many years the Barbadian Consulate General has organized an event in US cities that are significant to Barbadian heritage. This year they came back to Charleston, South Carolina for the Barbados Comes (Back) to Charleston  festival, a four-day event that was held September 1^st through the 4^th. 

Left to Right: Joe McGill (Southern Regional Office NTHP), Sarah Stroud (Archaeologist), Mrs. Stroud (volunteer), Phoebe Willis (interpreter).

 On September 3^rd, Drayton Hall participated in the Bridgetown Market that was held at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site.  Organizers of the event picked the site because Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados and Charles Towne Landing is located on the site of the first settlement of the Carolina colony in 1670.  Vendors representing Barbadian event sponsors, American cultural and historical organizations, and West Indian food and drink all enjoyed the day listening to calypso music from several bands.

 Sarah Stroud, our Drayton Hall Archeologist, and I staffed the Drayton Hall exhibits in the booth housing the Ashley River historic sites with Barbadian connections. Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, and Middleton Place all participated. Each site had different displays which complemented one another and gave the visitors a well-rounded plantation experience.

 Drayton Hall displayed artifacts including probable Barbadian Red Ware, Native American pottery, and Colonoware (pottery made by enslaved people using African, Caribbean, and Native American methods).  Our largest artifact was a cow’s head which lead to discussions about early enslaved Africans being cow hunters, the first real “American cowboys.”  We also had hands-on activities: one was grinding spices using a mortar and pestle to determine what foods common in our country today came from Africa.  Originally designed for children, the

Caleb Davenport grinding herbs and looking at the display board

activities were enjoyed by adults as well.  Almost all the Bajan visitors smiled and remarked that they had ground spices when they were children.  Some even gave grinding another try just to prove they still knew how!

 Magnolia Garden’s display focused on the Drayton family, cow hunters, and the Lowcountry Africana project whose goal is to collect and make available African-American history in the Lowcountry.  Middleton Place had two costumed interpreters explaining rice and sugar cane processing and pottery making.  The show stealers, however, were two Guinea piglets bred at Middleton.  Their little squeals garnered tons of attention!

 The turnout was large and we had a steady flow of visitors who had many questions and insights into our display.  We learned a great deal from them and from our colleagues in the booth.  Visitors to the booth enjoyed every aspect of our displays and we had wonderful interaction with them.  Sarah and I learned that cutters are sandwiches; that Flying Fish really are edible; that modern Barbadians have a pottery tradition of making “monkey” jars which resemble the Colonoware artifacts we brought; and that Barbadians say “ya’ll.”

 If you would like to attend next year’s festival, it will actually be in Barbados- check out this link for more information: www.barbadostocharleston.com.  For those of “ya’ll” who would like to learn more about the Barbadian-Charleston connection, here are some options:

 Walter Edgar’s South Carolina: A History., Chapter 3, “The Colony of a Colony”.

 www.LowcountryAfrican.com

 South Carolina National Heritage Corridor web site:  http://www.sc-heritagecorridor.org/the_barbados_connection/

Phoebe Willis, Drayton Hall Interpreter and Educator

What is it?

During the 18th century, wax seals were frequently used in the Lowcountry to close, mark, and authenticate important documents such as legal records. In practice, a small portion of melted sealing wax, formed from beeswax or a combination of resin, shellac, plaster, turpentine and coloring agents was placed on a document and then pressed with a seal matrix to create a seal. (Fig. 1) Typically, the seal matrix was personalized and embossed with the user’s initials, coat of arms or motto.

Figure 1. A fragment of a wax seal.

Numerous wax seals are held within Drayton Hall’s archival collection, including one example associated with a land grant issued by the Lord’s Proprietors. While no actual seals themselves survive in the collections, portions of several 18th century seal matrixes called “fob seals,” (Fig.2) have been found in the archaeological record of Drayton Hall. Formed from copper alloy, these seals were constructed with swiveling mounts that would have been originally been inset with an

Figure 2. Three fob seals measuring approximately 2.5" x1"

intaglio gem or engraved silver or copper disc. Given their 18th century date, these objects might have held the seal matrix of John Drayton or his son Charles. Hopefully, other important and complementing artifacts will be recovered through continued archaeological research.

Drayton Hall Archaeologist Digs to Solve Mystery

Read below for an interesting article on the ongoing mystery of the Drayton Hall colonnade by Post and Courier writer Robert Behre……

Drayton’s colonnade still poses much mystery

By Robert Behre

Monday, August 22, 2011

Four years ago, an old watercolor of Drayton Hall mysteriously surfaced, showing a prominent feature that had been lost to history. The feature — a colonnade that linked the main house with its two flanker buildings– had never been seen before by anyone with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.The image, which dated from 1765, only triggered more questions. Among the biggest was this: What was the colonnade’s architectural role? Was it built to provide shade and shelter to those walking between the main house and its support buildings or simply to provide a visual screen between the eastern and western sides of the property?

Watercolor by P.E. Du Simitiére (born Geneva, Switzerland 1737-1784) Drayton Hall S.C. © J. Lockard 2010 All rights reserved

This summer, Drayton Hall’s archaeologist Sarah Stroud attempted to unearth some answers. A case of beer was riding on the outcome, but more about that later. In 2009, an archaeological dig found a prominent soil stain believed to be the colonnade, but only one wall was found, indicating the structure was more of a screen.

Stroud thinks the colonnade served a more significant purpose. She thinks the columns and wall were separated by several feet and supported a roof that would have provided a covered walkway. So she mapped out a 10-foot by 15-foot plot on the northern side of the house that she hoped would contain new evidence of the wall.

As her dig winds up this week, she acknowledges that it didn’t. But her efforts weren’t in vain. The dig did uncover other evidence, such as traces of small post holes, more clay pipe stems than anywhere else on the property dug up so far, a tiny brass door pull, a glass perfume bottle stopper and a large square feature in the center that Stroud is still contemplating.

The colonnade is far from the only history that Stroud is trying to flesh out. Archaeology also can play an important role in interpreting Native Americans’ presence on the site, as well as the European settlers who occupied it for a few generations before the Drayton family bought it. But the colonnade was this summer’s focus, and Carter Hudgins, Drayton Hall’s director of preservation, had bet Stroud a case of beer that the colonnade was a screen, not a walkway. “Carter might be closer to his case of beer for the summer, but I’m not admitting defeat,” she says. “I think it’s still out there.”

The wall’s exact location and curvature is unknown — as are the materials from which it was built. Stroud says she might have struck out because she was digging in the wrong spot or because the earth there was disturbed to remove any traces of the colonnade, which is believed to have been removed during the Revolutionary War.

If Stroud ultimately loses the beer bet, she will gain a little job security as her hunt for answers goes on. “It means I’ll get to dig again,” she said.

 Copyright © 1995 – 2011 Evening Post Publishing Co..

Filling the Voids of History: The Drayton Hall Archaeological Collection

Mochaware from the Drayton Hall Collection

Chinese Imari porecelain fragment, c. 1750 discovered at Drayton Hall. Bottom image: Actual Imari plate with matching detail owned by George Subkoff of George Subkoff Antiques.

Many of you may know that Drayton Hall is internationally acclaimed for its architecture and remarkable state of preservation. The main house, flanker buildings, garden house, privy and the 19th century caretakers cottage are invaluable resources that illustrate the trajectory of American history, design, economics and adaptation. Equally important, though less well-known, is Drayton Hall’s extensive archaeological collection of more than 1 million artifacts.

Recovered during archeological campaigns from the 1970′s to the present day, these artifacts help to fill the voids of history that persist due to gaps in historical documentation. While often only fragments, each artifact tells a story about past people and events. We are now able to more fully comprehend these artifactual voices thanks to financial support from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS).

In May of 2009, Drayton Hall was notified that its application to the IMLS Conservation Project Support program grant had been accepted. The proposed project, in keeping with the conservation related goals of the grant program, set out to gain physical and intellectual control of Drayton Hall’s archaeological collection by reorganizing the artifacts according to where they were excavated, packaging them in protective archival materials to facilitate analysis, and studying fragile metal artifacts in preparation for future conservation initiatives.

Also, the IMLS grant enabled the Preservation Department to temporarily hire a project team consisting of Drayton Hall’s archaeologist/preservation coordinator Sarah Stroud and three student interns from the College of Charleston. Throughout this process, the department has made startling discoveries in the lab that illustrate how some of the most important finds are made indoors rather than out in the field.

“The sheer volume and depth of artifact types is what impresses me about this collection,” explains Sarah. “Only a small percentage of the overall property has been examined archaeologically, yet we have a collection of artifacts whose size and scope is far beyond what is typically associated with one place or family.” The artifacts cover centuries of occupation and represent the lives of Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans who, at one time, made the Drayton Hall property their home. Discoveries about each of these cultural groups make this collection so exciting to me.”

Ashley Moore, a sophomore at the College of Charleston, has enjoyed her experience with the IMLS project so much that she decided to add archaeology as a Minor. Ashley’s interest is Native American history, and she enjoys working with artifacts associated with non-European cultures. “We have organized box after box of Colonolware, which I learned is a ceramic type that resulted from African and Native American traditions coming together during colonization. Because Drayton Hall’s landscape has been preserved for centuries, artifacts such as these survive from both the historic and pre-historic periods and enable us to learn about multiple generations of Lowcountry inhabitants and their legacy.”

In fulfilling Drayton Hall’s mission of preservation and interpretation, each artifact will be digitally photographed and the digital records will be organized and catalogued so that ultimately, the collection can be made accessible to the public. As work continues in the field and laboratory, we will be updating our members on new discoveries through this blog, our website, and members only events at Drayton Hall, where you’ll be the first to hear the stories that these centuries old artifacts are ready to reveal.

Want more information on our collection or our archaeological discoveries? Contact Sarah Stroud, our archaeologist/preservation coordinator, or Carter Hudgins, our Director of Preservation and Education at sarah_stroud@draytonhall.org or carter_hudgins@draytonhall.org

“Preservation Wednesday” Celebrates First Anniversary and Reflections from an Intern

Madeline Graham washing artifacts

“My name is Madeline Graham; I am a rising senior in the Historic Preservation Department at the College of Charleston interning with Drayton Hall’s Preservation Department. Each day is filled with new tasks and fascinating discoveries. Throughout the summer I have worked with interns from other institutions as well as the entire staff of the Preservation Department. There are so many ongoing projects that there is never a dull moment!  I am always very busy with tasks that I feel contribute to the overall success of Drayton Hall and its preservation goals.   

These interesting tasks include photographing furniture for archival purposes and organizing museum collection materials into archival cabinets. One of the major projects I have been involved with includes cleaning and labeling artifacts discovered during the archaeological excavations. Something always sparks my interest in every bag of artifacts I clean. I have come across artifacts such as shoe buckles, a variety of ceramics, and even animal bones! Once washed, each artifact requires a label. This process is very time consuming, but is also very important to the cataloging process. I am glad that I have gotten to work with the Drayton Hall team and look forward to upcoming projects!”

   The process of washing excavated artifacts is an ongoing one at Drayton Hall and any other active archaeological project. Once the artifacts are excavated, each fragment is washed in order to then be labeled and finally cataloged and analyzed. For every one hour in the field, it takes archaeologists 8-12 hours in the lab to prepare the artifacts for analysis. The archaeologists at Drayton Hall are very lucky to work at a site so rich in history.  Since active archaeological excavations resumed on the property in the fall of 2008, however, the number of artifacts in need of processing had reached into the hundreds of thousands! A volunteer based program, “Preservation Wednesday,” was developed to assist the Preservation Department with this task.

Mr. Charles H. Drayton III

  “Preservation Wednesday” is a hands-on experience open to Friends of Drayton Hall who are invited to work as volunteers alongside of our Preservation Department Staff. This month marks the first anniversary of our Preservation Wednesday program. During the past 12 months, 26 individuals have participated including numerous Drayton Hall Friends, enthusiastic staff members volunteering their time, and even members of the Drayton family—including the wonderful Mr. Charles H. Drayton III who often heads up our washing table! The 26 participants have booked an astounding 264 hours wielding toothbrushes to diligently clean our amazing collection of artifacts! The Drayton Hall Preservation Staff is consistently blown away by the enthusiasm of this group and is humbled by their dedication to our ongoing archaeological projects. We thank all of the participants for making an idea for a hands-on Friends experience a successful reality!

Preservation Wednesday Volunteers

If you are a Friend of Drayton Hall and would like to participate in future Preservation Wednesdays, please contact Drayton Hall Archaeologist/Preservation Coordinator, Sarah Stroud at Sarah_Stroud@draytonhall.org or call 843-769-2637. Preservation Wednesdays are held the third Wednesday of the month from 10am-Noon. 

For more information about becoming a Friend of Drayton Hall go to: http://www.draytonhall.org/support/become_member/, or visit Drayton Hall in person and become a member on-site to receive your silver-plated rice spoon! 

 

Mini-Archaeologists and the Revolutionary War at Drayton Hall

Today, Colonial Carolina camper-historians learned about archaeology.  Our very own Archaeologist, Sarah Stroud, displayed actual artifacts from on-site excavations.  Ranging from different ceramics to dolls and lead shot, these artifacts demonstrate the diversity of cultures and people who, throughout time, have lived on Drayton Hall grounds.  Camper-historians viewed an active dig and even found their own artifacts! 

Later, Ms. Betsy taught campers about the Revolutionary War and the uniforms soldiers wore during the period.  Our young historians experienced the weight and texture of period uniforms by wearing them!  Then, Ms. Liz described Revolutionary War camp life.  Camper-historians practiced drilling and, not only enjoyed, but created camp pastimes such as checkers. 

   

 Check back tomorrow to learn how the educational programs and fun from the week culminate in a house tour led by our camper-historians!