10 Questions for Intern Katie Dykens

Katie Dykens is a graduate student in the historic preservation program at Clemson University and the College of Charleston. She is from San Diego, California.

Describe your internship: I am working on an updated version of Drayton Hall’s National Historic Landmark nomination form. A lot of things have been learned about Drayton Hall since the original nomination form was submitted in 1976.

Weirdest fact you’ve learned about Drayton Hall: The property was the site of two plane crashes in the 1970s.

A story about Drayton Hall that most people don’t know: I was really surprised to learn that the Great Hall may have originally been designed to be smaller than it is. The builders had a difficult time getting the intricately-designed cornice to fit correctly in the new space, and you can see that the pattern doesn’t quite match up if you look up in the corners of the first floor Great Hall. This is a “story” that is told by Drayton Hall, not just about it!

Use three words to describe Drayton Hall: stately, elegant, enduring.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Charleston? The adorable tree frogs that come out whenever it rains.  We don’t have those in California!

If you could time travel, what era would you visit? Assuming that I am magically able to speak any language, I would pick Italy in the fifteenth century. If I am stuck with the language skills I actually have, I would play it safe and head to England about a century and a half later.

Your dream job: My dream job would involve equal parts archival research, beautiful buildings that tell a story about the past, and travel… with a healthy dose of puppies thrown in for good measure.

Name a place that matters to you: Route 66!

If you could give one tip to future visitors, what would it be? Wear comfortable walking shoes. You don’t want to miss out on seeing the grounds because you are not wearing your best “exploring” footwear.

Describe your idea of the perfect Saturday morning: I don’t usually have Saturdays off, but when I do I like to go out on my porch and do yoga in the sun before anything else. I am also a big fan of brunch.