Drayton Hall Mansion & Plantation in Charleston, SC
Visit the oldest public preserved plantation house in America at Charleston's Drayton Hall. The home still doesn't have running water, electric lighting, or central heating, making it a truly authentic look at life in centuries past. The house was completed in 1742 as one of the first Georgian-Palladian homes in the country, standing on a sprawling 630-site along the Ashley River. After touring the interior of the three-story home, you'll be able to stroll along two scenic trails that follow the banks of the river and through the marshes.
An on-site museum shop allows you to take a bit of history home with you, and enormous, centuries-old live oak trees offer a fantastic canopy for a peaceful afternoon picnic. The African-American Cemetery is also located on the grounds of Drayton Hall, honoring the final resting place of nearly three dozen African Americans who lived and worked at Drayton Hall. Step back to the 18th and 19th century South with a visit to the spectacular Drayton Hall in Charleston.
