In February, the Master of Historic Preservation program spent three days in the historic city of Charleston, S.C. for the program’s annual Preservation Perspectives field trip.
In February, students and faculty of the Master of Historic Preservation (MHP) program set out to explore and learn in the city of Charleston, S.C. Each year, the program has a Preservation Perspectives field study which alternates between Charleston and Savannah. This trip gives MHP students the ability to see preservation in action, and to learn more about how different professionals influence preservation.
The first day of the trip focused on the private sector of preservation. Students started the morning by meeting with the Historic Charleston Foundation’s Head of Advocacy, Lisa Jones. She spoke about the different ways that the foundation advocates and funds preservation, including speaking at city meetings, running two house museums, and helping historic homeowners through a revolving fund initiative. Next, students headed to the Aiken-Rhett House, a house museum owned by the Historic Charleston Foundation. There students received a tour from Historic Charleston Foundation curator Kyle Kesterson. The Aiken-Rhett house is a unique house museum as the Historic Charleston Foundation has opted to preserve the house as-is rather than rehabilitate or restore it. The students also had the opportunity to connect with fellow historic preservation students through a lunch with Clemson University’s Historic Preservation program. After lunch, students visited the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue. Students were given the unique opportunity for an up-close look at the synagogue’s cathedral by climbing a ladder to observe the structure of the domed ceiling. The final stop for the day was the Charleston Public Library, where students met with the Preservation Society of Charleston’s Director of Advocacy Initiatives, Anna-Catherine Alexander.
Students gather at the Historic Charleston Foundation (left), Aiken-Rhett House (right).
The second day of the trip held more adventures as students met with the City of Charleston’s Planning and Sustainability department. There, students learned more about how city codes and planning worked with historic buildings and districts to ensure their preservation. Next, students moved away from the city to Sullivan’s Island. There, they met with the National Park Service at Fort Moultrie National Historical Park. Students were able to receive valuable insights from Historian and Compliance Coordinator Krista Pollet who spoke about her path into working for the National Park Service. Students were given the opportunity to explore the Mount Pleasant area before meeting at their last stop for the day, the Francis Marion National Forest. There, students spoke with Christina Stewart, an archeologist with the Forest Service, who spoke about the ways that the Forest Service managed their cultural resources. Students were also able to visit the Tibwin Plantation, a historic building within the Francis Marion Forest. There, Instructor Joe Smith spoke about the conditions and materials of the building, while Professor Cari Goetcheus spoke with students about the influences on the historic landscape.
Tibwin Plantation (left and right), Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (middle)
On the last day of the trip, students met at the McCleod Plantation Historic Site, which is managed by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. Here students heard from interpreter Ista Clarke about the history of the plantation not only from before the Civil War, but also how the site evolved to attract tourists after the war. The last stop of the trip was at Middleton Place, a plantation known for its vast gardens and picturesque landscape. Students received four tours which focused on the preservation projects happening at the plantation, interpretation about slavery at Middleton Place, the heritage breeds the plantation houses and a tour of the gardens.
Mausoleum in the gardens at Middleton Place (left), slave dwelling at the McCleod Plantation Historic Site (middle), Middleton Place (right).
Note from the Author:
“The Charleston trip was a great opportunity to see the different forms that preservation takes in a historic city, and I enjoyed getting to hear from people working within both the private and public sector,” said Bree Withrow, first-year MHP student. “Having the chance to experience a new city gave us the chance to apply the theories we learn in the classroom to real world preservation problems.”
