Drayton Hall Celebrates 50 Years

It was nearly fifty years ago that brothers Charles and Frank
Drayton wrestled with the future of their family’s homeseat-
Drayton Hall. Privately held by the Drayton family for seven
generations, in 1974 the estate consisted of 660 acres with the
main house still anchoring the once sprawling plantation
complex. Long regarded as one of our nation’s most important
architectural examples to survive from the colonial period, the
main house was increasingly threatened by vandalism, burglary,
and mounting maintenance. To protect their family’s history,
and that of the many enslaved Africans and their descendants
who called Drayton Hall home, the brothers arrived at selling
the property so that it could be preserved in perpetuity as a
museum.
On December 16, 1974 the plantation was purchased through
the efforts of Historic Charleston Foundation, the National
Trust for Historic Preservation, and the South Carolina
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Just four
months later, on April 22, 1975, the keys to Drayton Hall were
officially passed to the National Trust who operated the site as
a historic house museum from 1975-2015. In 2015, Drayton Hall
Preservation Trust assumed the operation of the site, and this
year marks our 50th year of stewarding Drayton Hall and our
collective efforts to preserve, protect and highlight our shared
American history. During the course of these 50 years Drayton
Hall has welcomed over 2 million visitors from around the
world.
The triumphs of Drayton Hall would not be possible without
the many people who committed to saving this important site.
From local leaders like Francis Edmunds and Peter McGee, to
philanthropists such as Sally Reahard and Friends such as you,
Drayton Hall has been buttressed for a for a half a century by
local and national support and expertise and I hope you will
join me in celebrating this milestone and the collaborations
that have made our work possible.
With sincere gratitude,

Carter C. Hudgins, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer

published: December 16, 2024