First on Facebook – May 16, 2021
Charleston attorney Peter McGee, a leading preservationist in Charleston, became chairman of Drayton Hall’s board and guided me in many ways.GWM: Since you’re a Charlestonian, Peter, what did Drayton Hall mean to you growing up?Peter McGee: I didn’t know anything about it. As a boy growing up, my father was a trust officer of South Carolina National Bank and had a close tie to the owners of Middleton Place, the Pringle Smiths. We would go to Middleton Place for Sunday dinner maybe twice a year, which was a thrill because it was a beautiful place. Tourists would be there, for at that time, it and Magnolia were the two main spots on what we called the River Road, which we now refer to as Highway 61. To me, Drayton Hall was a word almost meaningless.The first time I laid eyes on Drayton Hall was when decades ago, Patti and I went up the Ashley River in a boat with my friend David Maybank. We knew where Drayton Hall was and carefully tied up. Coming up and over the riverbank, I saw Drayton Hall for the first time. It’s not an overstatement to say that there was a “wow” impact. By then, I was old enough to recognize architectural beauty, and this place had it!We felt like we were trespassing, so we walked around the building and left.That was my introduction to Drayton Hall.
Preview my new book “Drayton Hall Stories: A Place and Its People”
George W. McDaniel, Ph.D., is President of McDaniel Consulting, LLC, a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and to its broader constituents. The company’s tag line, “Building Bridges through History,” is grounded in McDaniel’s personal beliefs and his experience in site management, preservation, education, board development, fundraising, and community outreach. Rather than using history to divide us, he strives to help organizations use history, especially local history, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and to support local museums, preservation, and education. Dr. McDaniel led volunteer efforts with Emanuel AME Church and historical organizations in Charleston to use historic preservation to enhance racial reconciliation and healing. McDaniel is also the Executive Director Emeritus of Drayton Hall, a historic site in Charleston, SC, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He retired from Drayton Hall in 2015 after 25 years of distinguished service.
A frequent writer, speaker, and facilitator about such issues, he can be reached at gmcdaniel4444@gmail.com or through his website at www.mcdanielconsulting.net.
Header Image: Drayton Hall Preservation Trust Archival Collection
McDaniel Consulting LLC is a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and its broader constituents. 