Recent History of Historic Sites Deserves Preservation: Foreword to Drayton Hall Stories, by Anthony C. Wood, Board of Trustees, Drayton Hall Preservation Trust
“Stories most frequently told at historic sites recount who built them, who lived there, what’s inside, and what happened there. Often missing is the site’s ‘recent history’ — the why and how a place was saved and the stewardship that followed. This is no surprise since those interested in historic sites, whether members of the visiting public or historians, tend to be motivated by the history that made the site worth preserving in the first place, not the history of its actual preservation or of 20th-century residents.
“However, when its recent history is lost, we lose the history of preservation and the story of those people. A telling example is that Drayton Hall likely would be a clubhouse for a private golf course, not a historic site, if not for the dedication, passion, and vision of the people and organizations who saved it. That and more is what you’ll read about in the pages that follow.
“Drayton Hall is the real deal. Since the mid-18th century, the Drayton family did not alter its basic architectural style and made only modest changes in keeping with their times, but did not cover its walls with layers upon layers of paint or add electricity, heating, and plumbing. Because it had survived virtually intact, the decision was made, when acquired by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, that it be preserved in that unspoiled condition.
“That once radical decision is now widely applauded and has generated fascinating challenges to those entrusted with its care, which Drayton Hall Stories describes.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George W. McDaniel, PhD, is the President of McDaniel Consulting, LLC, a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and to its broader constituents. For 25 years, he served as the Executive Director of Drayton Hall, a historic site in Charleston, SC. A native of Atlanta, he earned a BA from Sewanee, a MAT (history) from Brown University, and PhD (history) from Duke. Interspersed through those years were travels to many places — Europe, Africa, Vietnam — where he saw peace and war and learned by experience about cultural differences and commonalities. For 40 years, he built a career working in education and history museums, beginning with the Smithsonian Institution, and earning awards at the local, state, and national levels.
“Building Bridges through History”
The company’s tagline is grounded in McDaniel’s personal beliefs and his professional experience. Services address site management, preservation, education, board development, fundraising, community outreach, and more.
Rather than using history to divide us, McDaniel helps organizations use history, especially local history, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and to support local museums, preservation, and education.
Turning Beliefs into Actions
Dr. McDaniel led volunteer efforts with Emanuel AME Church and historical organizations in Charleston to use historic preservation to enhance racial reconciliation and healing.
A frequent writer, speaker, and facilitator, reach him at gmcdaniel4444@gmail.com or through his website www.mcdanielconsulting.net.
Images courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.
McDaniel Consulting LLC is a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and its broader constituents. 