Charles W. Drace (Drais) · Greer Heritage Museum collection

Other Media: Biographical Text

Title: Charles W. Drace (Drais)
Description: Prominent businessman; photographer responsible for many early photographs of Greer; owner of the Grand Theater
birthday: August 25, 1869
Birthplace: Ohio
Death Date: September 25, 1928
Occupation: photographer; business owner of movie theatres, retail, and newspaper
Biographical Text: Charles "Uncle Charlie" Drace, most known today for a substantial collection of early photographs, was a businessman instrumental in the earliest days of Greer.

Originally Charles Drais, he was born in Ohio. He lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from 1890 to about 1897, where he worked for Gettysburg battlefield photographer W. H. Tipton.

He moved to Greer and opened a photo studio. We know he was in Greer by 1898, when he took part in the famous "Fats vs. Lean" baseball game. He might have had an earlier studio on Main Street, but he was at 110 East Poinsett in 1898. His first small wood building was soon replaced with a brick store, and within a few years Drace had moved to a large 2-story building at 103 Trade Street. The Planters Savings Bank was on the corner, with Drace's studio beside it; later, both of these would be removed and replaced with the current Bennett Building.

Drace was a photographer, but he also had a shop selling a variety of goods including cameras, Victrolas, musical instruments, sheet music, electric lights, Waterman fountain pens, and Greer-branded memorabilia like cups and saucers.

Drace then built the Grand Theatre at 121 East Poinsett, in a space that is now an alley. His photo studio was on the second floor, his store on first floor beside the ticket office, and the theater was in the back. He also operated the Dixie Theatre on Trade Street and operated a theatre at Camp Sevier for the military in the Great War; after, it continued to operate as the Grand Theatre in Paris, SC. Later, he opened a theatre in Greenville.

Drace was a member of Greer City Council in the 19-teens. He became manager of an early Greer newspaper, the Greer Observer. He was a painter, and donated oil paintings as awards for contests like the North Greenville Stock Show ("C. W. Drace of Greer offers hand painted picture of Titanic for best can of apples").

Charles and Fanny Miller Drace built a house at 210 West Arlington, which still stands. They had a daughter, Pearl, and two sons, Kramer and William. William (Bill) would take over operation of the Greer Theatre after his father's death in 1928.
Bibliography: https://www.newspapers.com/image/38488941/?terms=charles%20w.%20drais&match=1&clipping_id=121043912

Item sets: GREER: people

Media: Charles and Fanny Drace; Charles and Fanny Drace at their home, 210 West Arlington Avenue. Though hard to see in this image, Charles is standing beside a baby carriage with daughter Pearl Drace.; Drace_obit.jpeg; "Mister Charlie" Drace in front of his store on Hill Street, circa 1904.; Biographical Text