“The French Connection:” WestOf Newspaper

Friends, 

Every year, we wait in anticipation as June rolls around and we get to meet our newest intern from the French Heritage Society Internship program that we are lucky enough to participate in. (See here for more information.) This year we were paired with Margarita Valencia, and we’re happy to report that others are noticing how exciting this program is. Read below for the most recent press on Margarita’s work!

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

French National School of Landscape grad designs uncovered gardens at Drayton Hall

by Kristin Hackler
Staff Writer

Earlier this month a new face arrived at Drayton Hall, fresh from the halls of the French National School of Landscape Architecture in Versailles, France. Her name is Margarita Valencia, and until June 24, she will be working in a newly uncovered section of Drayton Hall’s gardens to develop a landscaping design inspired and guided by historical documents.

The section she will be exploring was uncovered over the course of several years starting in 2004. As Drayton Hall staff worked to remove invasive species such as Chinese Tallow, Eleangus, and Chinaberry from 15 acres of land surrounding the main building, it was discovered that the area had been terraced and planted for ornamental purposes. In fact, old maps from the collection of the second owner of Drayton Hall, Charles Drayton, indicated the existence of a pathway along the south property as part of a possible pleasure garden walking experience.

French landscape architect Margarita Valencia will work with Eric Becker, Drayton Hall’s Manager of Lanscapes, in restoring recently uncovered gardens.

Since the philosophy of Drayton Hall is to have as light an impact on the historic landscape as possible, Carter Hudgins, Director of Preservation and Education, was quick to point out that this plan will not be a restoration but rather preservation. “We’re not in the business of landscape re-creation. This will be landscape preservation. We’re basically removing junk plants and trees so the terraces will survive,” says Hudgins. “Margarita’s work will not only help to redefine the elaborate terraces, but will give such features prominence through the establishment of a planting plan that, once implemented, will return native trees, historic shrubs, and their colors to one of early America’s most significant estates.”

Drayton Hall and Magnolia Gardens were the first to offer internships through the French Heritage Society exchange student program in 2010. Each year, three students arrive for a month to study at the historic plantations and this year, Middleton Place is also participating in the exchange.

“The school was looking for places for their students to fulfill their studies abroad and we thought it was a perfect fit,” says Eric Becker, Landscape Horticulture and New Facilities manager The students are participating in either a two or four year study with L’Ecole Nationale Superieure du Paysage Versaille (the French National School of Landscape Architecture] where they work and learn in Versailles. Margarita’s project plan will help us to manage and maintain the stability of the terraces, enhance the walking experience, and provide new space for further interpretation of the gardens.”

Using Drayton Hall’s 2004 Landscape Master Plan as a guide, Valencia’s design will carefully consider the connection of the pathway with the main house, river, ponds, the forest, and other important views. At the same time, she will be researching the ornamental native plants mentioned in the plantation’s diaries, journals, and letters in order to determine what plantings will be most evocative of the past.

One of the reasons the French Heritage Society was particularly enthused to work with Drayton Hall is due to the fact that Andre Michaux, a well-known French explorer and botanist, is on record as having given shrubs to Charles Drayton between 1784 and 1820. According to a 2003 article in the Southern Garden History Society’s spring newsletter, Magnolia, “From entries in Charles Drayton’s diary and his plant lists, his close friendship with Michaux is evident.”

“I chose to work at Drayton Hall because I like the architecture and landscape,” says Valencia. “I studied architecture at the university as well as landscape design because I want to work in both, and this was the best place to develop that. I’m also looking to improve my knowledge about the Latin names of plants,”

Valencia’s work will be integrated with the efforts of past exchange students who also worked on overlay planting plans and implementation, conceptual renderings of spaces, and research of the Drayton papers.

Drayton Hall plans to begin sourcing and installing the recommended and approved plants by early 2013. Employees at Drayton are particularly excited about this portion of the preservation plan as it is likely they will discover further evidence of the history of Drayton Hall and the historic gardens in the process. Becker did note, however, that the digging and planting will be closely observed by the Drayton Hall architect.

Drayton Hall is located at 3380 Ashley River Road. For more information, visit http://www.draytonhall.org or call 769-2600. For more information about the French Heritage Society student exchange program, visitwww.frenchheritagesociety.org/education/student-exchange-program.

Click here to access the article online. (Note that in the original article, Eric Becker is mistakenly identified as Carter Hudgins.)

Landscape Preservation at Drayton Hall

The "before" view into the amenities area to the museum shop.

Preserving our landscape here at Drayton Hall requires constant effort. Too much or too little rain, a wind storm, or the growth of an invasive species can all threaten our historic landscape features. To meet these challenges and those posed by the simple passing of time, we’ve implemented several programs that target specific elements of the landscape, including our 300 year old live oaks, the 18th century system of earthen embankments and canals, and our historical vistas.

A comprehensive maintenance plan implemented 3 years ago has yielded great benefits for many of the centuries old oaks that stand vanguard over the landscape. Caring for these trees involves not only regular pest protection and intense fertilization, but also selective pruning to lessen the threat of wind damage and the installation of lightning rods to protect trees during our many summer electrical storms.

Over the past few years our landscape team has also cleared invasive trees and shrubs from the earthen embankments and canals that make up the over 200-year-old water network surrounding the main house and lawn. Clearing these plants out removes obstructions to the water network and reduces root damage to the embankments themselves.

Together these efforts have highlighted many of the sites historical vistas, including our guests favorite- the one you see when you come down the main oak

The "after" shot into the amenities area after invasive species and shrubs have been removed to highlight the grand oak.

. Thanks to the removal of scrub growth and corrective pruning, the live oaks seem to draw visitors down the road even more so than before, eventually opening up to reveal a panorama dotted with the noble architecture of their trunks and limbs supporting a cloud of leaves and moss.

Every Plant Has Its Own Story

At Drayton Hall on Sunday, May 1, 2011, fourteen of us lucky nature-loving souls tried to keep up with renowned botanist and professor emeritus from the Citadel, Dr. Richard Porcher.  Author or co-author of Lowcountry: The Natural Landscape, A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina, The Story of Sea Island Cotton, an upcoming book on South Carolina rice culture, and numerous other publications, Dr. Porcher is an energetic, amusing and informative field guide.  Before setting off at a brisk pace across Drayton Hall’s front lawn toward the marsh, he paused to point his long worn walking stick approvingly at the new native plants landscaping going in around the museum shop area.  We hurried to catch up as he pointed and talked, without slowing his stride, about the honey locust tree directly beside Drayton Hall itself: the mother tree went down in Hurricane Hugo, this is a grown root sprout, is it disturbing an archaeological site, should it be saved, and more.  Dr. Porcher did linger a second to announce, “Every plant has its own story!”  Throughout the afternoon he made it clear it was our job to learn what those stories are.

Entering the Marsh Walk, Dr. Porcher had us stroke the barbed seeds of needle grass to understand the meaning of its name and to identify it correctly.  In midstride, he directed his walking stick at a yaupon holly telling us this native was the source of an American Indian caffeinated tea, but only if you used the youngest leaves and avoided the berries.  Otherwise, you would find out why its botanical name is Ilex vomitoria.  With another swing of his walking stick, our attention was focused on a popcorn or Chinese tallow tree, a malicious invader of native wetlands that he hopes to see eradicated from the property.  At a short stop on the bridge over the rice trunk gate, Dr. Porcher enthusiastically explained the tidal flow rice flooding system.  Looking at the remnants of the reservoir pond, we turned back to find ourselves scurrying to get close to Dr. Porcher who was yards ahead saying something about the Cherokee rose at the other end of his walking stick.  It may be the state flower of Georgia, but the Cherokee rose is an eighteenth century import from China.  We were reminded, “Every plant has its own story.” 

We marched efficiently on through the marsh learning how to distinguish a dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) from an infant South Carolina state tree palmetto (Sabal major):  the state tree has thin filaments curling off the edges of the leaves.  Dr. Porcher’s walking stick pointed accusingly at a large bush of Elaeagnus and then another and another.  The plant is a severely invasive Asian import that Drayton Hall’s grounds staff is working hard to eliminate, but it is nearly impossible to stop.  With pleasure, he turned his attention to a native swamp dogwood, then a buckeye and a red cedar.  Standing on the boardwalk, we were captivated by his proposed plan for a nature trail winding through the hundreds of acres around Drayton Hall.  Dr. Porcher animatedly described how the marsh, the Ashley River, the cultivated rice terrain, the phosphate mining remains, the vestiges of the manicured landscape, the layers of history, the plants and, of course, their stories would all fit into this ambitious design.

At the exit from the Marsh Walk and reluctant to have our unique afternoon outing end, we lingered and chatted.  The next thing we knewDr. Porcher was off again aiming his walking stick up into the clump of big trees beside the pond calling out to us, “Is this a native red mulberry or an imported white mulberry?”  Seeing our lack of mulberry knowledge, he went on to explain the difference between the two types and, in an aside, discused the ill-fated American silk industry.  We paid close attention because, as Dr. Porcher mentioned again, “Every plant has its own story.”

-Yvette Richardson Guy,  former adjunct professor of architecture history at the College of Charleston,  Dorchester County Master Gardener,   and Historical Interpreter at Drayton Hall.

Honoring Those Who Have Come Before

Saturday, October 9^th, marked a beautiful and memorable day in Drayton Hall’s recent history. For those of you who were there, you know what I’m talking about, and for those of you who were not, I think you would have loved it and wish you could have been there.  It was indeed a beautiful fall day – clear and crisp, with blue skies. But it was more than the weather that made the day special – it was the spirit of the people who were gathered together to give recognition and honor to those who have come before, and to pledge ourselves towards striving for a better future.

 

Thanks to photographer Dan Stewart

As described in the articles and news clips featured below, the occasion itself was the dedication of the new memorial at Drayton Hall’s African-American cemetery. Circa 1790, it is one of the oldest African-American cemeteries in the nation still in use.

 The talents of many came together to forge this event into one of unique beauty. They include the organizers, craftsmen, speakers, singers, spiritual leaders, volunteers, family members, and visitors.  Descendants of families, white and black, came forward to recognize the contributions of the scores of African Americans—known and unknown, enslaved and free—who contributed to making Drayton Hall into the special place that it was historically and that it remains today.

In his presentation, Lonnie Bunch, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, captured the essence of the event, when he explained:

Lonnie Bunch, image thanks to photographer Dan Stewart

But in some ways, we learn even more by what a country chooses to forget. This desire to omit—disappointments, moments of evil and great missteps—is quite instructive. Often it is the essence of African American culture that is forgotten or neglected. It is often the story of the enslaved and their descendants that is shrouded by the mists of forgetfulness. But today, this dedication allows us to pierce this mist with the sunshine of remembering. Within this cemetery, we know the names of some, but many more names are known only to God. But today, we honor them all—we honor their sacrifice, their suffering and their impact. But we also honor their joy, their resiliency and their lives.  It is clear that we are all made better by their lives—which is the foundation on which we stand.

As we processed into the cemetery for the final dedication, descendants Esther Chandler and Rudy Braxton read the names of hundreds of African Americans who had laid that “foundation.”  As a benediction, descendants Lorraine White and Corey Furtick sang “Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me on.”

Lonnie’s right. It is by honoring the ancestors in such ways that we “are all made better,” and we at Drayton Hall feel privileged to be part of this important effort towards charting a better future.

Below are links to Drayton Hall’s African-American Memorial Dedication event on our website and other related items as well.

October 2010 African-American Memorial Dedication Event – link to videos of the day with speakers, descendants, etc:  http://www.draytonhall.org/research/people/african_cemetery_dedication.html

Event Program: African American Memorial Dedication Program

A related blog by one of Drayton Hall’s senior interpreters, John Saunders, entitled “Seeing the Invisible,” http://draytonhall.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/seeing-the-invisible/

A related blog by Dwight Young, “Leave ‘Em Rest” – Drayton Hall Honors Its African-American Cemetery, http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/story-of-the-week/2011/leave-em-rest.html, Dwight Young is the author of “Road Trips Through History” and “The Back Page” column of Preservation.

Drayton Hall images of the event on flickr!http://www.flickr.com/photos/30768648@N05/

Special thanks to the College of Charleston’s Center for the Documentaryhttp://doccenter.cofc.edu/about-the-department/index.php and photographers Daniel Stewart and JT Chandler http://jazzyphotos.zenfolio.com/p412695853

Find us in the news!

See Channel 2, The Post and Courier, Live 5 News, and West of below.

http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/oct/05/drayton-hall-prepares-dedicate-african-american-ce-ar-922645/

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/oct/07/memories-former-resident-inspire-arch-historic-cem/

http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=13297511

http://www.westof.net/main.test.php?category=news&id=274

Archaeology Update

Here’s this week’s update on the most recent discoveries relating to the archaeological investigations at the north flanker site.

Voices DVD Wins Heritage Tourism Award

On Thursday, March 26, The Voices of Drayton Hall: An Interactive Landscape Tour on DVD received the South Carolina Historic Preservation Award for Heritage Tourism, given by The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and the Office of the Governor.  Executive Director George McDaniel and Director of Museum Interpretation Craig Tuminaro were on-hand at a ceremony in Columbia to receive the award.

(From L to R) Executive Director George McDaniel and Scott English, chief of staff for Governor Mark Sanford, hold Drayton Hall’s Heritage Tourism Award, with Director of Museum Interpretation Craig Tuminaro and Rodger Stroup, director of the SC Department of Archives and History.

The award was given to recognize the innovative method the Voices DVD uses to tell the story of Drayton Hall’s complex and in many ways, vanished, landscape, a challenge faced by many historic sites and communities.  The project was designed to serve as a model that those sites and towns could employ to tell their stories in an engaging and compelling manner without adding staff, building wayside panels, or through other more traditional ways.

Since its launch over a year ago, hundreds of people have taken the opportunity to learn more about Drayton Hall’s landscape through the Voices tour, and even more have taken the tour “from home.”  Click here to visit PreservationNation and see a clip of The Voices of Drayton Hall on YouTube.  You can also order a copy from Drayton Hall’s website.   Of course the best way to experience the program is through an on-site rental.  We would also love to hear what you think, if you have used the DVD on-site, or have ideas on other ways we could improve the way we tell the story of the landscape.  Just leave us a comment.

Also in the works– The Voices of Drayton Hall: The iPhone application. Stay tuned!

Before & After: A New Year’s Thought

Posted by Jessica Garrett, Director of Development
Returning to work from my Christmas vacation meant that I came back to overflowing mailboxes and a host of piles on my desk for projects in the New Year. That’s par for the course for anyone coming back from vacation, but I guess the point I’m trying to make is that when you are in the midst of determining which emails need responses and which need to be deleted, it’s easy to forget the big picture.

That’s why it was so nice to come in on Tuesday. I had a meeting scheduled with some of Drayton Hall’s landscape donors, which included a presentation by Carter Hudgins, our archaeologist and interim director of preservation. His presentation covered a number of topics—from the mystery image that led to the archaeological dig to improvements on the landscape and research in the Drayton family papers.

And while the entire presentation was interesting and educational, what struck me most were some of the before and after images. They made me realize that it had been a while—too long—since I had stepped away from my desk and onto the grounds to actually look at Drayton Hall. While I may occasionally run over to the house to meet a group or zoom down to the river on a golf cart, it’s usually work-related—I’m usually on a mission and have no time to stop and take everything in.

Some of the images that struck me most were those of the garden house archaeological site. If you don’t remember what it used to look like or if you haven’t seen it in the past six months, you’ll see that the changes are dramatic for a place that is often assumed to never change.

The 1747 Garden House site, as it appeared in 2007. The site had been covered with sand and mulch, and trees had been allowed to grow above, trees whose roots were impacting the remaining walls and foundation of the building.

The 1747 Garden House site, as it appears today. The sand, mulch, and trees have been removed and grass planted around the raised terrace surrounding the building. Visitors can now see the remaing building features along with a sketch showing what the structure looked like when it was built.

More information about the project can be found on the Project Diaries posted on the Drayton Hall website .

The 2008 Archaeological Field School– What did they find?

Click on the video below to see the results of the first ever Drayton Hall Archaeological Institute.

Archaeological Institute Days 3 and 4

Work has continued in the search for the possible connecting wall between the Drayton Hall main house and it’s north flanker building.  On day 3 of the institute, evidence of the connecting wall was found in unit DH961. A series of 6 bricks were found laid end to end with mortar between.

Day 4 of the Institute began with a thorough trowel cleaning of the site to identify features in the soil.  Work continued through out the day in unit DH961 to expose the connecting wall.  As the excavation move forward a stepped footer was identified beneath the course of 6 bricks identified on Day 3.  This stepped footer could support the weight of a colonnade, the continued excavation of the site on Day 5 may unearth many answers and possibly make us ask new questions.

Help Solve a Centuries-Old Mystery!

What did Drayton Hall really look like originally?  Is a newly discovered watercolor, dated to the mid-1700′s, truly accurate?

Expert and amateur archaeologists will be searching out the answers to these and other questions in the Drayton Hall 2008 Archaeological Institute, taking place Sunday, October 26 through Friday, October 31.  The field school will be investigating the original walls that once connected the main house to the former two-story flanker buildings, seen here in this watercolor dated 1765, completed by an unknown artist.

The field school will also gather evidence on the pre-Drayton 17th-century house that once stood on the site.

No experience in archaeology is necessary as the skills needed for excavating, recording, artifact identification, and laboratory work will be shared.

The Institute begins with an opening reception on Sunday evening, October 26.

Space is limited.  Registration is $350 for Friends of Drayton Hall/$400 for non-members.  For more information, contact Carter Hudgins, Interim Director or Preservation at (843) 769-2617 or carter_hudgins@draytonhall.org.