Entrance to The Balcony, Winter Colony estate owned by Thomas Ravenel, damaged in accident

Dec. 10—A gated entrance to a prominent Whiskey Road home was damaged Sunday afternoon — again.

The accident occurred at The Balcony, a Winter Colony estate that is owned by Thomas Ravenel.

Ravenel is the former treasurer for the state of South Carolina and was a star on the reality television series "Southern Charm."

Photos show that the street sign for Whiskey Road and Knox Avenue was torn down, and the wrought-iron gate leading into the estate also was damaged.

A vehicle could be seen just inside the gate and appeared to be damaged.

"I had a number of people send me texts and pictures of it," Ravenel said Monday. "It's the second time this has happened. The first time the police wouldn't give us a full report (for insurance purposes). This is a lot worse, so I'm sure it will get reimbursed."

According to dispatch at the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the incident occurred at 4:04 p.m. EMS was not called to the scene, the dispatcher said, and no one was arrested.

According to a traffic collision report, a 2008 Ford was heading north on Whiskey Road. The driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete pillar and automatic gate, the report said.

Property damage to the gate was estimated at $10,000, and the street sign was valued at $500.

Ravenel wasn't at home at the time.

"Myself, my nanny, my kids and some employees were at a Cleveland Browns game," he said.

Ravenel's 9-year-old son is a football fan, and he took him and the group to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night game against New England. From there, they traveled to Cleveland and took in some sights such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

"We sat in the end zone, and my kids wanted to pull for the Jaguars," Ravenel said. "I told them these are diehard fans. You'd better keep it to yourself if you pull for Jacksonville."

He posted about attending the NFL game on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

"Go Browns!" he wrote in a post that included a brief video taken during Cleveland's 31-27 victory over Jacksonville.

Another high-profile residence along Whiskey Road, Rond Point, has been the scene of many accidents in recent years. The brick wall that lines Whiskey Road on the property has been hit many times, and the gaping hole from the last incident in March has still not been repaired.

Ravenel, an avid polo player, purchased The Balcony in May 2020 for $1.8 million, the Aiken Standard reported.

The 10,552-square-foot main residence has exterior walls made of brick and veneer, according to Aiken County land records. The property is just under six acres in size, and contains a second house and stables.

Architect Julian Peabody designed The Balcony, according to a previous Aiken Standard article, and it was built between World War I and World War II.

It was the winter home of Seymour H. Knox II, a Buffalo, N.Y., banker, philanthropist and polo player. His family founded the F.W. Woolworth Company.

Ravenel said he is doing some work on the residence.

"Maybe I'll put in a stronger gate," he said.

Staff writer Dede Biles contributed to this article.