History
by: Gail Lang

The history behind Magnolia Plantation is as unique and remarkable as the plantation itself. In the mid 1600's Thomas Drayton and his son, Thomas, Jr. left England to build a home in the New World eventually making their way to Charles Towne. In the same year, Stephan Fox also settled at Charles Towne. He acquired the land that bordered the Drayton property and today is known as Magnolia Plantation. The marriage of Stephen Fox's daughter, Ann, to Thomas Drayton, Jr. marked the beginning of the family from whom the present owners are descended.

During the 1680's Thomas and Anne completed the first residence at Magnolia Plantation. This home survived the British encampment during the Revolutionary War only to be accidentally burnt to the ground years later. A second home, built in part with bricks salvaged from the first home, also met a fiery fate at the hands of General Sherman's marauders in 1865. The steps and ground floor survived the fire and are the foundation for the current house built by Rev. John Grimbe Drayton. Reverend Drayton disassembled his Summerville home, loaded it on barges, floated it 14 miles down the Ashley River, and then mounted it on the burned ground floor of the second house.

The plantation continued on through the centuries. It's a truly remarkable experience to walk through the house and listen to the guide relating the family history. Strolling through the gardens you learn of the inhabitants' roles in slavery and war.

The garden design and development began with the building of the first home and continually improved and increased through the years. The first formal portion, "Flowerdale", still exists almost unchanged in its design. By the time Thomas Drayton died in 1717, the small formal English garden spread to over 10 acres. In time the gardens were transformed from the formal 17th century style to America's foremost garden of informal design. The gardens remain to this day as one of the oldest major gardens of this hemisphere.