Park Technician Doug Kratz

Park Service Profiles

A Walk in the Park

Doug Kratz, the Park Technician at Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, didn’t always plan on ending up working for the South Carolina State Park Service. The father of two and grandfather to two granddaughters, is a Michigan native and his journey to South Carolina was more than 30 years in the making.

After earning his Associate’s Degree in general studies from Northern Virginia Community College, Doug enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in the army for 20 years before being discharged, and his service included time in Africa and the Middle East.

“That’s where I got acclimated to the heat,” Doug says of the scorching temperatures he’s accustomed to working in at Redcliffe.

Doug was discharged in Georgia and eventually made his way to South Carolina, where he was hired on at Redcliffe to do part time work. After two years of hard work, Doug was brought on as the full-time park technician, where his responsibilities include regular maintenance work and upkeep of the grounds and plantation home on site, as well as giving the occasional tour of the building.

Doug says his job has been a walk in the park, so to speak, in comparison with his time spent in the Army, but loves the work he does for the state park service.

“I’m living the dream.”