Drayton Hall
A brick Palladian-style house completed around 1750 that survived both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War in its original state, making it America’s oldest unrestored plantation house.
Drayton Hall stands on Ashley River Road. The main house was built around 1738–1750 and is an early model of Palladian architecture in North America. Unlike neighboring plantations, it has deliberately been preserved rather than restored. The interior is unfurnished, with original plaster and woodwork intact, showing two and a half centuries of wear. Guided tours tell the story of the Drayton family and of the African American people who labored here, and the grounds include a memorial site for the African American cemetery. Admission is about $35. It is about 25 minutes from downtown.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
- Middleton Place
- McLeod Plantation Historic Site
- Angel Oak
- Aiken-Rhett House
- The Charleston Museum
- Mother Emanuel AME Church
- King Street