The South Carolina Historical Society
In 1855 some of South Carolina's most distinguished citizens came together to record and preserve the past - for the sake of the future. Motivating them was the fear that if they did not act, South Carolina's rich historical legacy would be lost to future generations. They founded the South Carolina Historical Society, which today is the state's oldest and largest private repository of books, letters, journals, maps, drawings, and photographs about South Carolina history.
The mandate of their founders remains their mission today: "to collect information respecting every portion of our state, to preserve it, and when deemed advisable, to publish it." The Society's holdings, located in the historic Robert Mills Fireproof Building in Charleston, S.C., are vast and grow constantly with the addition of materials from 200 years ago and from two weeks ago. It is especially rich on South Carolina's colonial and antebellum eras and the American Civil War.
The South Carolina Historical Society
Research Fee vs. Society Membership: The Inside Scoop
Visiting researchers pay $5.00 per day to conduct research in the library. Society members enjoy unlimited visits at no charge and will also receive the Society's two award-winning periodicals, Carologue and the South Carolina Historical Magazine.
Memberships are quite affordable. If you are planning to spend more than five days researching in the Society's collections, you may want to consider signing up for an annual membership.
You can follow the links below to learn more about membership rates and benefits.
Enjoy great member benefits while supporting the South Carolina Historical Society.
Plan Your Visit
The South Carolina Historical Society:
100 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
The South Carolina Historical Society is located in the Fireproof Building at the southeast corner of Meeting and Chalmers Streets.
Parking:
The South Carolina Historical Society does not have its own parking facility. Metered street parking is available in the surrounding area, and the city operates several public parking garages in the vicinity. Parking is also available in the Charleston County Garage on the right side of Meeting Street just past Hibernian Hall.
