Programs Coming Your Way in September

The BDC has three public programs on our calendar for September this year. We hope that you'll be able to join us for one or even better both!. 

• Monday, September 8, 2025 - "History of Bluffton" with Michael Reynolds. | BDC@ Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way | 4 PM. 

Program Blurb: The Bluffton History presentation begins with the Native Americans who occupied the area, it then covers the colonial period, the predevelopment period and modern times.  The program showcases Bluffton as was when first settled all the way through through the population explosion of the 21st century through the eyes of one of its native sons, Michael Reynolds.

Please note the start time a later in the day start time and is expected to last a bit longer than is customary for BDC local history programs. This adjustment was made at the Speaker's request. 

Speaker Biography: Michael Reynolds was born and raised in Bluffton and has called Bluffton home for six decades.  He is the founder of the "Bluffton History" Facebook page that has been operating for 15 years and is committed to researching and publishing Bluffton history, showcasing old Bluffton maps and photographs, newspaper articles and recording oral histories of some of Bluffton's senior most citizens.  Michael can trace his Reynolds family in Beaufort County nine generations to the 1690s, over 330 years ago.  His dad was the first person to hold the title of Bluffton Police Chief, which was a part time job back in the 1960's.  Michael's mother's family were some of the Swiss Huguenots who settled Purysburg in 1732. Michael is truly as local as it gets.

• Monday, September 22, 2025 - "Spanish-American War 1898: Context, Causes, Combat and Consequences" with Barney Forsythe, PhD and Raul Galvan, PhD. | Co-sponsored by the Friends of Fort Fremont. | BDC@ St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road | 2 PM. 

Most of us give little thought to the Spanish-American War - and if you think about it at all, you probably think that the war was caused by Spain's sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor and that Teddy Roosevelt led the Rough Riders to victory on San Juan Hill. This program offered in partnership with the Friends of Fort Fremont may cause you to re-think those points.  

Program Blurb: Learn how the United States emerged as a global power at the start of the 20th century, thanks to the "splendid little war of 1898." Presenters George "Barney" Forsythe and Raul Galvan will discuss the United States war with Spain, explore the multiple factors that led to the conflict (not the least of which was Cuba's fight for independence), summarize combat operations, and consider the consequences of the war for all parties. 

Speaker Biographies:

George B. "Barney" Forsythe, a 1970 graduate of West Point, spent 35 years on active duty in the United States Army before returning to the United States Military Academy as a professor and later as Vice Dean for Education. He retired for the first time in 2005 and advanced in rank to Brigadier General. He joined Westminster College in Missouri as Senior Vice President and Dean of Faculty until he was selected President of the college in 2008. He retired again in 2015. Gen. Forsythe currently serves as the President of the Friends of Fort Fremont. 

Dr. Raul Galvan was born in Cuba and came to the United States in 1961. He had a long career at Milwaukee PBS and the Bradley Center and earned his Doctorate in History from UWM in 2011. While in Public TV, he produced many television shows and was nominated for numerous Regional Emmy Awards. He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals, op-eds as well as a youth book, and has traveled to Cuba frequently. He relocated to Beaufort County in 2024. 

• Thursday, September 25, 2025 - "History on a Stick: The Historical Marker Program" with Leah Roche | "Historically Speaking" series, 7.1, co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society | BDC@ Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street | 11 AM. 

No doubt you've passed by many an installed "History on a Stick" (aka historic marker) in your lifetime. Did you ever wonder where the historical markers you see whizzing past on the highway came from? Come learn about one of the signature activities of the Beaufort County Historical Society in this season 7 opener for the BDC Beaufort County Historical Society "Historically Speaking" local history series. Leah Roche will be the presenter. 

Program Blurb: Though historical markers seem to simply “appear” on the landscape, there is a detailed process involving many people, lots of time, money, and maybe a little “blood, sweat and tears” to earn designation as an official S.C. Historical Marker. Follow the “Life Cycle of the Historical Marker” from its beginning as a simple idea to commemorate an event, place or person of historical significance, through the research process, to state approval, marker fabrication, installation, dedication, and maintenance. Discover how to enjoy the markers all over our county by creating your own Marker Scavenger Hunt, using our geographical lists accompanied by our Google Maps with marker locations. Gain a clear understanding of the fascinating process the Beaufort County Historical Society adheres to, under the auspices of the S.C. Department of Archives and History, as the oldest of many groups who develop these markers countywide. 

Speaker Biography: Leah Roche earned her Bachelor’s degree in Library Leah Roche earned her Bachelor’s degree in Library Science and History from Florida State University, and her Master’s in Library Science from the University of South Carolina. She served as a high school media specialist (school librarian) for 28 yrs at both Beaufort and Bluffton High, and was voted Teacher of the Year at Beaufort High School early in her tenure there. She later was the first media specialist in Beaufort County to earn National Board for Professional Teaching certification. In her role as media specialist, Leah served as webmaster of the school websites at both Beaufort and Bluffton High. 

After retirement, she joined the Beaufort County Historical Society, and helped develop that organization’s current website. She also created the interactive Google map of SC Historical Markers in Beaufort County, so that citizens and visitors alike could locate and visit them. She planned a county-wide “marker scavenger hunt” called “Marker Mania,” which took place during the first summer of COVID, involving over 250 participants. She currently serves as the Recording Secretary and Webmaster for the . Beaufort County Historical Society.

Remember to always check the Library system calendar and the Library's homepage for the latest updates regarding changes to our program and operations schedule. We are solidly in the most active phase of hurricane formation for the next 6 weeks. 

Disaster, Death and Destruction: Personal Narratives of the Hurricane of 1893

The BDC often features the biggest natural disaster thus far in Beaufort District's history during August. We will do so again this year by unveiling a new treatment of the Hurricane of 1893 focusing on personal accounts of people who survived that dreadful night.

These two sessions will focus on a few of the dramatic personal accounts of what happened that dreadful night and during the ensuing months of the long recovery effort. Prepare yourself for 45 minutes of heart-breaking stories of death, destruction and loss. CAUTION: Some attendees may find the content disturbing. 

Beating the Heat and Humidity: How to Manage your Collections in a Coastal Climate by Cassandra Knoppel

Late last month, at the onset of the terrible heatwave we had in Beaufort, my home's air conditioning went out. My husband and I came home from work on a Friday evening to find the temperature in our house climbing above 85° F, and the HVAC repairmen said we'd have to wait until at least 8:30 that night before someone could get out to take a look at it. My husband's first concern was the health of his wife and dog in the heat (and the safety of the homemade hot sauce he was fermenting). My first concern? Aside from the health of our poor old dog, I was bombarded with thoughts like "How soon until the walls grow mold?" and "Do we have any precious documents and photos that might get damaged in the high heat?" My reaction was admittedly a little more extreme, but that's because I have to keep these things in mind at work as we try to preserve our historic collections in a hot and humid climate. 

Heat and humidity are two of the worst enemies of preservation, and given where the BDC is located, some might think that we are fighting a losing battle. ASHRAE designated Beaufort County as being within Zone 2-A: Hot-Humid, but any local knows that fact just by stepping outside in the months between April and October. Living in such a climate makes things difficult, not just in terms of staying comfortable but in keeping things safe from creatures and critters who thrive in muggy conditions. In the Getty Conservation Institute's Managing Collection Environments: Technical Notes and Guidance (2023), the authors state that "...a Zone 2A Hot-Humid climate can be expected to host microorganisms and insects throughout the year" (p.60). Microorganisms like mold and insects of all varieties can damage collections, and hot and wet conditions on their own can also slowly degrade the integrity of cultural materials.

But, despite the clammy cards we've been dealt here in Beaufort County, the BDC follows guidelines and best practices that help us to conquer the threats to our collection, and we'd like to share some of these tips with those of you who might be worrying about the safety of your collections in this weather, too. We've adapted the 2023 CCAHA article "Hot and Humid Weather Preservation Tips from CCAHA's Preservation Services Office," which is geared more towards collections professionals, to make their 5-point list more relevant to at-home preservation of personal document and photograph collections (along with some additional advice).

1. Find a safe place to house your collection

Last year, I worked on a collection of records that had once been stored in a shed for many years. The members of the organization recognized this was probably not a great place to keep their records but were limited in places to store their materials. When the organization made the decision to give the BDC their records, they felt relieved that the collection would be a safe environment, and we felt that way too! However, those years of less-than-ideal storage conditions had taken their toll on some of the records. Materials bore signs of water damage, some pages had dormant mold, and photographs were stuck together from heat and water-caused delamination, which the BDC remediated as best we could.

To prevent something like this from happening to your personal collections, it is best to store materials somewhere safe from huge swings in temperature and humidity levels and away from potential sources of water or pest damage. Attics, basements, sheds, and garages are not safe storage areas because they are often not temperature or humidity controlled, can be pest "hot spots," are more likely to flood or experience leaks, and are less convenient for periodic monitoring (which is something we'll address later in this post!). Instead, find somewhere in your home that is climate controlled. Keeping collections off the floor is also ideal, as it can prevent damage caused by flooding if your roof leaks from one of the Lowcountry's furious mid-summer thunderstorms (or hurricanes!). It would be best not to store items in areas with known issues with leaks, mold, or pests either.

Collections Environment Infographic
by CCAHA   

2. Create and maintain the right "climate" for storage

Ideally, collections should be kept in an environment that is between 50° and 77° F. This can prevent some of the chemical reactions that can happen in high heat that causes materials to fade or yellow, become brittle and crack, or melt and stick to one another.

Maintaining a safe humidity level is also important, as the relative humidity is a big factor in mold growth. If your HVAC system allows for it, keeping the relative humidity below 65% can prevent mold from germinating and growing on your treasured documents and photographs. (If you're extra nerdy like me and would like to learn more about the most ideal environmental conditions for museums, archives, and historic houses, you can check out the chart provided by ASHRAE on page 117 of the Getty's Managing Collection Environments: Technical Notes and Guidance.) If you cannot monitor and adjust relative humidity through your HVAC system, you can also use a portable dehumidifier and set the relative humidity level to 75% or under. This can help keep both you and your collections comfortable in muggy weather. Using a fan to move air around your collection storage area also helps to lower the humidity and prevent mold from growing.

3. Periodically monitor your collections and their storage environment 

Once you set up your personal collection storage area, it is important to keep tabs on the space to see if any issues arise. In the BDC, we check the temperature and relative humidity level in our collection twice daily to ensure that we are operating within safe levels, but a less frequent check of your storage area can suffice, especially if the storage area is a bookshelf in a room that you frequently spend time in. If you don't otherwise frequent the storage area as often, it is best to check in periodically to ensure that the temperature and humidity levels are as they should be, that pests have not invaded the space in your absence, and that, perhaps, your HVAC drain pan in the attic has not backed up and created a ceiling leak that is dripping rusty water on your items (ask me where I came up with that example!). Staying abreast of any potential problems before they get out-of-hand and cause real damage to your collections is always a good idea.

You can create a routine of checking the environment weekly or even monthly, depending on your collection's needs and your schedule. If the weather is particularly rainy, or a large storm has just blown through town, it would be good to check your storage area in addition to your regularly planned "inspection" to see if any leaks in windows or ceilings have materialized. If a heatwave is affecting the area and you have multiple HVAC systems in your home, I would also suggest checking your storage area to ensure that the system in that area of your house has not failed or is struggling to keep up. 

Remember: Prevention and preservation are much easier (and cheaper) than remediation and restoration!

I hope these tips are helpful to those who are either getting started or in the midst of preserving your personal heritage items here in the Lowcountry. While it can be overwhelming to know that preserving materials is not a simple, one-time thing but more-so an ongoing and evolving process, doing so is vital to ensure that the things we value are available for future generations. 

References: 

ASHRAE. (2021). ANSI/ASHRAE Addendum a to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169-2020: Climatic data for building design standards. https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards%20addenda/169_2020_a_20211029.pdf

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (n.d.). Collections environment infographic. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://ccaha.org/resources/collections-environment-infographic

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (2022, October 24). Temperature, relative humidity, and dew point for collections. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. https://ccaha.org/resources/temperature-relative-humidity-and-dew-point-collections

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (2023, June 15). Hot and humid weather preservation tips from CCAHA’s preservation services office. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. https://ccaha.org/news/hot-and-humid-weather-preservation-tips-ccahas-preservation-services-office

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures a division of American Library Association. (n.d.). Quick preservation tips. Preservation Week. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://preservationweek.org/resources/quick-preservation-tips/

Gaylord Archival. (n.d.). Agents of deterioration. Gaylord Archival. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://info.gaylord.com/resources/agents-of-deterioration

Taylor, J. T., & Beltran, V. L. (Eds.) (with Getty Conservation Institute). (2023). Managing collection environments: Technical notes and guidance. Getty Conservation Institute. https://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/mce-technical-notes-and-guidance.pdf

 

The BDC's Annual Report, FY 2025

This may be my first annual report to the community about the successes and continuing challenges of the Beaufort District Collection. Because of staff turnover and frequent staff shortages through the many years of my stewardship, most of the time I was just trying to keep on keeping on with what had to be done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis embodying the adage: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Doing that left little time for reflection and gathering statistics to share with the public at large.

Getting a third full-time position in January 2024 and having that position filled by Cassandra Knoppel as the Library Specialist in charge of archives processing - and the hiring of Sydney Whiteside as the most recent BDC Library Assistant in November 2024 - has been absolutely critical to the BDC's FY2025 success. 

Here's what the BDC accomplished: 

1. BDC Clients

• We appreciate the 293 registered visitors who came into our Research Room excited to explore the historic materials we have collected and safeguarded for them to use for their projects.
  
• Alas we did not keep track of all the folks who called or emailed asking for help with their historical and genealogical projects. Counting gets more complicated because how one "counts" archival visits and questions is different than how one "counts" reference questions within public libraries. But ... 
• We estimate that BDC staff answered some 600 reference questions of varying scope and depth. [The Augur system kept crashing and sometimes we forgot to go old-school hashmark].
• We appreciate the unknown-to-us people who accessed our social media platforms.
• We appreciate the unknown-to-us people who enjoyed our digital collections hosted by the Lowcountry Digital Library.
• We appreciate those who attended our local history programs or stopped by to speak with us during our community outreach efforts. 

2. Collection Development 

The term "collection development" describes the process of selecting, arranging, maintaining and (very, very rarely in the BDC) removing materials about local history. Here's an excerpt of the BDC's official collection development policy that is part of the Library system's collection development policy: 

Materials are carefully selected and curated for lasting value and long-term access within the Beaufort District Collection. The Beaufort District Collection may collect materials, in any format, that support its mission. Because of the nature of a local history research collection, some materials may include terminology and concepts reflective of the creator’s place and time which are now deemed offensive. Additional South Carolina, Southern, or Civil War materials may be collected if they relate to the primary collection or are of help in using the primary collection when appropriate storage is available.

• We added about 232 items (books, DVDs, illustrated prints, maps, posters, vertical files, etc.).
• We were gifted 11 small archival collections. 
• You can learn more about some of the items and archives through our "New (and New-To-Us) posts of April 13, 2025, April 16, 2025, and July 6, 2025. 

3. BDCBCL: Links, Lists and Finding Aids blog on the WordPress platform. 

• Cassandra has completed more archival Finding Aids than the BDC has ever managed to get done before: 17 new Finding Aids - all but one which have been posted online. She also updated a number of Finding Aids with accretions from organizations who were making additional donations to their records. 
• We uploaded two new guides: Cassandra prepared "The American Revolution in Lowcountry South Carolina Resource Guide" and I created one about Fort Frederick.  
• We updated 55 posts to ensure accuracy of the links provided and availability of  the resources listed through the SCLENDS consortium. 
• The number of views of this blog increased by 6% to 16,300. 
• Our new visitors increased 12% to a total of 11,300 visitors. 
• In case you're wondering, the most popular posts last fiscal year were: 
• The Legacy of Dr. Buzzard
• The R.L. Johnson Medical Record Book
• The Sea Island Hurricane of 1893 

4. Beaufort District Collection Connections blog on the Blogger Platform. 

• Cassandra and Sydney now share some of the Connections responsibilities with me. Together we posted 74 new articles: 
• Cassandra researched and wrote 7 posts.
• Sydney researched and wrote 13 posts.
• I researched and wrote the remainder.
• Blogger analytics leave a bit to be desired so I doubt that the 22K number is correct but I do like the way it sounds. 

5. BDC Facebook Page

The BDC's Facebook page for local history nerds has been around for a long time now -  since May 2012. 

• We have about 750 followers who do not appear to interact with the content very much - except for a few faithful "likers" and even fewer who comment on our posts. 
• Changes at Facebook - emphasis on monetization and algorithm shifts - have not been to the BDC's benefit.   
• Nevertheless, I see the Facebook platform as a way to share educational content and promote materials in our collection to the community though I have scaled back the BDC's posts somewhat over FY 2025.   

6. BDC Local History Programs

Although we have yet to return to our pre-COVID per session program attendance numbers - and I seriously doubt that we will because the way people interact with the world has changed in the pandemic's wake - we are making some progress in numbers of attendees and scope of in-person program delivery - which was definitely helped by the quality of our presenters. We are so very, very grateful to all our presenters who gave freely of their time and expertise to help us reach a banner year of BDC programs! 

• We sponsored and/or hosted 31 local history programs at various library branches - far more local history programs than the BDC has ever hosted even when taking into consideration the intense "Civil War 150" series of 2013. 
• We held more local history programs south of the Broad River, mostly on account of our new partnership with the Hilton Head Chapter of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina and the willingness of the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250 Committee to cross the river.  
• We sustained our partnerships with the Beaufort County Historical Society, Beaufort History Museum, and the Beaufort County 250 Committee.
• We had 614 people attend BDC local history programs. 

7. BDC Community Outreach 

We participated in a record number of community outreach opportunities during FY 2025, including the once in a lifetime Lafayette 200 celebration. 

• We added appearances at OLLI - USCB North, a field trip to Fort Frederick, and talks at the Coastal Discovery Museum and Brays Island. 
• Lafayette 200 led by the Historic Beaufort Foundation in cooperation with a host of cultural heritage and genealogical societies was acknowledged as an outstanding community celebration by the American Friends of Lafayette organization. 
• We staffed booths at the Beaufort History Museum's Civil War Encampment and at the Annual Symposium of the Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era. 
• We interacted with 342 people through these events.

8. BDC Projects

• Thanks to the diligence of Valerie Lesesne of the Library's Technical Services unit and Laura Lewis, veteran Beloved Docent, we finished the vertical file merging project at long last! 
• We have 6 dedicated Dearly Beloved Docents who are steadily working on their respective projects: transcribing manuscript materials, indexing key sources, and performing critical preservation tasks. 

I could not be prouder of the quality and quantity of the work done by the BDC Crew during Fiscal Year 2025 – nor of the depth of your support, Dear Reader, for our efforts to acquire, preserve and share Beaufort District’s long and storied history through a variety of formats, platforms, and ways. Thank you. 

July 2025 Facebook Post Re-cap

As per usual, some minor editing has occurred. - gmc  

July1 - The monthly overview on the BDC's Facebook page is an abbreviated and edited version of the monthly overivew post on Connections. 

July 3 - Unfortunately, yellow fever has colored a lot of American and world history in very bad ways. The SCLENDS consortium has a number of titles about Yellow Fever. Choose a book or two from the flyer to learn more about the history of this deadly disease.

July 7 - AM -"Uniquely BDC Materials Monday:" I talked a bit about Lafayette's incarceration during the French Revolution last week in "Red, White, and Blue (times 2)." If you'd like to learn more, we are the only SCLENDS library to hold Lafayette: Prisoner of State by Paul S. Spalding (2010) about the 5 years (1792 - 1797) he spent in lock-up by a coalition of Austrians and Prussians during the French Revolution. According to the author: "Fayettists saw his experience as a parable of the struggle that would eventually lead to the triumph of liberty over tyranny, good over evil." Be sure not to jump over the bits about South Carolinians Francis Kinloch Huger and Thomas Pinckney and the 1794 escape attempt.

July 7 - PM - A few snaps from the first sneak peek of "Da Gullah American Revolutionary Experience expo" on July 2nd. We do so hope to see some of you South of the Broad River folks at Christ Lutheran Church on Hilton Head for the second and final sneak peek on Wednesday.

July 8 - Sydney and Cassi have caught up on all the "New (and New to us) Materials" that have arrived in the BDC between April 1 and June 30. Enjoy! Expect the next update by mid-October.

July 9 - AM - "Black History Note:" Today's your last chance for a sneak peek of "Da Gullah American Revolutionary Experience" ...

PM - Since it's "National Cow Appreciation Day," here is a sweet photo from our digital Donner Collection. Today's a perfect opportunity to pitch our upcoming "artistic" bovine local history program - "Moo-fort, Mermaids and more" with Cassandra on July 28th, too. We're going to try a late afternoon/early evening local history program slot in hopes that some of the working folks might be able to attend.

July 10 - Sydney highlights some of the "colorful" items on our walls.

July 11 - Another entry in our occasional "Finding Aid Friday" series: An independent historian's research into "The Castle," one of Beaufort District's most interesting historic houses. We also posted photos from our Outreach events at Da Gullah American Revolutionary War sneak peek presentations.

July 13 - Though we have nothing "special" scheduled this week, the BDC's fiscal year 2026 local history programs began on July 2nd with my program about the true-blue friendship of James Monroe and the Marquis de Lafayette. July 28th Cassi will do "Moo-fort"; on Sunday, [yes, a Sunday] August 3rd, the BDC is co-sponsoring a Panel Discussion about plans for a digital history of Fort Fremont with West Point cadets; Ted Panayotoff will help us celebrate National Lighthouse Day; and I'm doing two sessions about the Hurricane of 1893 - all before the end of August hitting 4 of the library's 6 physical branch libraries and 3 off-site locations. The BDC is most definitely on the road again.

July 14 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" I'm sure that you're quite acquainted with today's featured image "Emancipation Day in South Carolina -- The Color-Sergeant of the 1st South Carolina (colored) Volunteers Addressing the Regiment; after having been presented with the stars and stripes at Smith's Plantation, Port Royal Island, January 1" published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper on January 24, 1863. Nevertheless, the BDC is the only library within the SCLENDS consortium to have an original copy of page 276 listed in the catalog. It is SC PRINT #160 in our holdings.

In this case, the "color" in honor of the 2025 Summer Reading Program theme refers to the United States flag.

Colonel T.W. Higginson was presented with the colors during the Emancipation Day ceremony at Camp Saxton. In his diary entry for January 1, 1863 he writes "I spoke, receiving the flags & then gave them into the hands of two noble looking black men, as color-guard, & they also spoke, very effectively, Prince Rivers & Robert Sutton." We have a copy of The Complete Civil War Journal and Selected Letters of Thomas Wentworth Higginson edited by Christopher Looby (2000) in the Research Room is you'd like to read more about Higginson's comments on the day's festivities.

July 15 - Lots of folks enjoy looking at coffee-table books. We have some suggestions for you about local history related ones in Connections.

July 16 - 10 AM - "Black History Note:" Carolina Gold, the celebrated variety of rice established in the South Carolina Lowcountry, was integral to the local economy for nearly two hundred years. However, the labor required to produce it encouraged the establishment of, and sustained, slavery with profound consequences on the lives of thousands upon thousands of Africans and their descendants even as the product put gold into their owner's pockets. The author Richard Schulze reintroduced this crop in South Carolina after nearly a century's absence. Drawing on both historical research and personal experience, Schulze reveals the legacy of this once-forgotten Lowcountry icon.

July 16 - 7 PM - In honor of National Snake Day, I thought that I'd share this wonderful image by Julian Dimock of Dr. Francis E. Wilder (1837-1924) holding a rattlesnake. If you check out a copy of Camera Man's Journey from one of the Library system's local history sections, you can see him defang said rattlesnake. There are plenty of copies of this book of turn-of-the-20th century photographs taken in Beaufort, Hilton Head and Columbia to borrow from the Library.

July 17 - Learn how a teenager helped color the world with blue, indigo blue.

July 20 - Cue the theme from Jaws [John Williams' great soundtrack is on Hoopla] - and read these books about our local sharks to celebrate(?) Shark Week 2025!! You can also make plans to attend the Fort Fremont Digital history project panel discussion in two weeks.

July 21 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday" that "Colors Our World" with History: Indigo in America is a short booklet that published by the Charles Towne Landing Foundation in 1998. Though short, it offers substantial information on the history of indigo, its cultivation process, and its overall impact on the world. Although this title focuses on indigo in America, it is important to remember that its earliest usage dates back thousands of years ago to India; and though indigo was grown and processed in America, much of the final product was exported to England. The BDC is the only SCLENDS library to have a copy of this booklet.

July 22 - We're sharing a Blast from the Past on this National Hot Dog Day! Sydney found this ad in the June 30, 1960 issue of the Beaufort Gazette. I don't think that I'd like olives on a hot dog seeing as how I'm a mustard and slaw sort of woman. Sydney adds a touch of horseradish and raw onions to hers. Cassi is more of a mustard, sauerkraut and French's crunchy onions kind of woman. Which makes us wonder: What are your hot dog condiments of choice? [BTW: We got 2 FB comments to this one.]

July 23 - "Black History Note" in SRP 2025 "Color Our World": Peter H. Wood wrote a groundbreaking thesis in 1972 that was turned into a monograph in 1975 entitled Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion. It has remained in print ever since. Wood explored the consequences of importing the largest single group of non-English-speaking migrants to the North American colonies on United States history through a thorough and penetrating case study of the Palmetto State during the period. He ends it with the Stono Rebellion of 1739 and its aftermath. The BDC has a copy but there are also plenty of copies that you can check out through the SCLENDS consortium.

July 24 - 10 AM - Having a dedicated Library Specialist means that Cassandra investigated "arsenic green" as a BDC contribution to the Library system's "Color Our World" Summer Reading Program - and as you will read, it turned out to be an eye-opening investigation with implications to the every day operations of the BDC going forward. Enjoy - but be sure to wash your hands afterwards!

July 24 - 7 PM - 2 weeks to the Author Book Talk with Ted Panayotoff!

July 25 - Today's "Finding Aid Friday" is in honor of our next local history program. Some of the "Cows on Vacation" images will be featured in Cassi's presentation about the colorful local public art projects of the past 20 or so years.

July 26 - Pictorial Works can "Color Our World" with history. As a cultural heritage organization, the BDC is in it for the long haul - and school annuals and church directories are part of our strategy to support present and future researchers.

July 27 - This Week in the BDC: Cassandra presents "Moo-fort, Mermaids, and More" a look back at the public arts projects here in the past 25 years on Monday evening. The end of Summer Reading happens on Thursday. Be sure to finalize your reading and get your gameboards turned in as directed.

[The presentation grew from a Connections post I assigned her to write about the colorful art projects.]

July 28 - [Uniquely BDC series] Though most folks probably don't think much about this, cultural heritage organizations such as the BDC have to gather some highly selective materials each year about community "stuff" going on at the time. As you will learn in more detail, the BDC has collected information, posters, photographs, etc. about some of the local public art projects of the 21st century that Cassandra will highlight in her program this evening as our 2nd local history program to "Color Our World." It's rather mind-boggling how fast sources about popular projects at the time get lost and removed from media platforms.

July 29 - White Servitude in Colonial South Carolina by Warren B. Smith (USC Press, 1960) examines a significant portion of the colony's overall population and a powerful element in the settlement of the province between 1730 and 1765. Most of the white servants covered in this book had bound themselves for periods of 2 to 4 years to cover the cost of the sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. A few were criminals who were to serve their prison terms working in the colony. Some were political prisoners from Scotland. The appendices are important for understanding the law and impact of white servitude in South Carolina: Appendix I is "An Act for the Better Governing and Regulating White Servants" (1717); Appendix II is "An Act for the Better Governing and Regulating White Servants, and to Repeal" Act of 1717; Appendix III covers "Statistics on Population, Importation of Nego Slaves and Exportation of Rice;" and Appendix IV is a "Complete List of White Servants Appearing as Items in the Wills and Inventories Recorded in Probate Court of Charleston County".

Another potential source for the identification of indentured (white) servants is First Settlers of South Carolina, 1670-1700 by Agnes Leland Baldwin (1985).

Both books are available in the BDC Research Room: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468.

July 30 - "Black History Note:" Ben Tillman & The Reconstruction of White Supremacy by Stephen Kantrowitz (2000) discusses the roll-back of Reconstruction Era civil rights for African-Americans that had a profound and lasting effect on the course of history in the Palmetto State thereafter. This book traces the history of white male supremacy and its discontents from the era of plantation slavery to the age of Jim Crow. Friend and foe alike and generations of historians interpreted Tillman's physical and rhetorical violence in defense of white supremacy as a matter of racial and gender instinct but the author says that there is more to the story. He reveals how Tillman's white supremacy was a political program and social argument whose legacies continue to shape American life.

July 31 - [Red Letter Local History Day] Serious talk of separating the Southern states from the Federal government began years before the actual break. Reiterating thoughts first introduced to his constituents from the Walterboro courthouse steps in June 1828, impassioned Robert Barnwell Rhett found a receptive audience at a homecoming dinner held in his honor at Bluffton on July 31, 1844. It is said that 500 people showed up to hear his speech under an oak tree about limiting Federal powers: "If you value your rights you must resist." Others, called Fire-Eaters, echoed the call in the coming years. Many see this speech as the start of the "Bluffton Movement," a critical point towards the secession of the Southern states in 1860 - 1861.

PS: I included a reminder about the end of Summer Reading 2025.

"Booked and Busy:" August 2025 Display Case by Sydney Whiteside

The Beaufort District Collection is booked and busy for the remainder of this year! July marked the start of a new fiscal year which means that our FY 2026 local history programs are underway. For the month of August and September, the research room display case is going to showcase materials from the collection that relate to the BDC's FY 2026 local history program series and standalone sessions.  

Reminder: This is a tentative line up of upcoming local history programs. Details including dates and times are subject to change. Links to each programs page on the library system calendar will be included throughout this post. We do this to encourage readers to see what other units of the Library system are offering and to remind you to be sure to check the library system calendar for any updates or changes closer to the scheduled date of the program. If you have any questions about upcoming program details, please feel free to call the BDC at (843) 255-6468. 

Without further ado, let's see some of the exciting programs the BDC will be bringing to a library near you! 

Shelf One

In honor of the "In the Eye of the Storm" programs:

The Great Sea Island Storm of 1893 by Bill Marscher (2004) portrays the catastrophic event and aftermath of the Great Sea Island Storm of 1893. More than 1,000 residents drowned and thousands more were left with nothing. Those in the Lowcountry were struggling, especially the Gullah communities across the Sea Islands. With the aid of the American Red Cross, various charities and the efforts of selfless locals, the homes and hearts of the community were slowly restored. This title is also available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

Rachel C. Mather, 1832-1903

The Storm Swept Coast of South Carolina by Rachel C. Mather (1894) is a very important part (VIP, if you will) of our collection. Rachel C. Mather was a teacher who volunteered to travel to Beaufort to educate the freedmen of the community. Soon after her arrival, she opened the Mather School, a private institution for formerly enslaved girls. The Storm Swept Coast of South Carolina is a detailed first-hand account of Mather’s time in the Lowcountry during one of its most trying and tribulating times. This specific edition is extremely fragile, so BDC staff will point interested patrons to the available digitized version. The Beaufort County Library partners with the Lowcountry Digital Library in order to digitize materials from the Beaufort District Collection.

Behind these two storm sources are photographs from our digital collection, Beaufort Hurricane of 1893 Photograph Collection, that depict the severity of the storm. Photograph #13 shows the damage done to downtown Beaufort, specifically Bay Street, where trees and debris can be seen in the road. Photograph #22 shows the damage done to the wharves of Beaufort; houses collapsed and drifted into the water.

In 2008, the Beaufort County Historical Society placed an historical marker on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Frogmore to honor the lives lost and forever changed. The front of the marker is on exhibit in the display while the back of the marker (not shown in the display) states the following: 

“The storm killed more than 2,000 and left more than 70,000 destitute in coastal S.C. and Ga. Losses in lives and property were most catastrophic among blacks who were former slaves or their descendants. Clara Barton and the American Red Cross launched a massive relief effort, the first after a hurricane in U.S. history. Donations in 1893-94 fed, clothed, and sheltered thousands.”

BDC Manager Grace Cordial has spent many years of her career researching and sharing the details of the Great Sea Island Storm of 1893's impact across Beaufort County. This month, you will have two opportunities to hear her new presentation called "In the Eye of the Storm: Tales from the Great Sea Island Hurricane of 1893.” Less science and statistics; more concentration on survivor accounts. The first session will take place on August 27 at the Hilton Head Branch and the second session will take place on August 28 at the Port Royal Branch.  Be sure to check the Library system calendar for registration details.

In honor of "The History of Bluffton" program:

A Longer Short History of Bluffton, South Carolina and its Environs. No. II by the Bluffton Historical Preservation Society (1988) provides a wonderful overview of the fascinating history of Bluffton, South Carolina. The book begins with an excerpt of a speech given by W. Hunter Saussy about the history of Bluffton and is followed by an excerpt of Janice Hunter Cantrell's article, “The Bluffton Movement,” published in A History of St. Lukes Parish, Beaufort District, South Carolina from the 1700’s to 1860. This title provides a labeled map of numerous historic sites and houses located in Bluffton along with detailed explanations of their relevance to Bluffton history. This title is also available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

Beaufort District Collection Vertical Files

A wonderful resource in the Beaufort District Collection is our vertical file system. Grace estimates that we currently have over 2,500 vertical files; we are consistently adding to our artificial files and integrating information to current files. I tend to turn to these files when creating display cases because I never know what fun or interesting tidbit of information I may come across. For example, in the VF SECESSION OAK file, I found a clipping from the Bluffton Historical Preservation Society of the Succession Oak with the Latin saying, “Parves E Glandebus Quercus” which translates to “Tall oaks from tiny acorns grow.” 

To learn more about Bluffton and its rich history, the BDC will be hosting Bluffton native Michael Reynolds for a “History of Bluffton” program at the Bluffton Branch! 

Shelf Two.

In honor of "What the Heck Is It?" program:

Down & Dirty: Archaeology of the South Carolina Lowcountry by Michael Patrick Hendrix (2006) takes the reader on a journey through more than fifty thousand years of archaeological history beginning with the very first inhabitants of Charleston. After noticing that the majority of archaeologists only write for other archaeologists, Hendrix set out on a mission to create a unique archaeological history of Charleston that almost anyone could comprehend. Full of amazing artifacts and photographs, this title proves the importance of preserving history and how "knowledge of our past illuminates out future" - Michael Patrick Hendrix. This title is available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

The Hilton Head Island Archaeology Society of South Carolina will be bringing their program, “What the Heck Is It? Archaeology Identification Process,” to the Hilton Head Branch Library. We’ll have some of South Carolina’s finest professional archeologists - State Archaeologist Dr. Jon Leader and Brockington & Associates archaeologists Dr. Eric Poplin – on hand to analyze, identify and date your artifacts. And better yet - Attendees can bring their own artifacts to be identified for free! Note well:  Do not bring any weapons (guns, swords, daggers, etc.) to be examined. It is the policy of the Beaufort County Library not to allow any weapons in the libraries. No monetary valuations will be provided.

In honor of the BDC's new partnership with the Friends of Fort Fremont organization:

Fort Fremont: A Beaufort County Treasure (2018) by Beaufort County Library's own, Dennis Adams, is an organized and comprehensive overview of Fort Fremont. From basics such as when the fort was built and various facts about the fort, to ghost stories of Land's End, anyone looking to learn more about Fort Fremont should take a look at this title. This title is a BDC exclusive, please see the end of this post for details on how to schedule an appointment.

Fort Fremont, St. Helena Island, S.C. by Craig M. Bennett, Jr. (2007). The BDC houses three different discs that contain photos of three historians exploring the ruins of Fort Fremont in 2007. The discs have a combined total of 380 photographic images, though many of them seem to be repeats. Although this is not a very visually pleasing piece, it’s important to include this piece as a reminder that the BDC collects all different forms of media, not just books. This title is a BDC exclusive, please see the end of this post for details on how to schedule an appointment.

From VF FORT FREMONT, I came across a quote from local historian, Gerhard Spieler, in which he discussed the significance of the fort in his column published in the Beaufort Gazette (which the BDC has available from 1903-2015 on microfilm!): 

“Even if the fort never fired a shot in any war, this is historic ground: first explored by the Spanish in 1520, settled by the French in 1562, taken possession by the English in 1670, fought over by soldiers of the North and South in 1861 and highly cherished by South Carolinians...” - Gerhard Spieler, Beaufort Gazette, 22 November 1972, p. 8A.

Historical roster and itinerary of South Carolina volunteer troops who served in the late War between the United States and Spain, 1898: coupled with brief sketches of their movements from the beginning to the ending of the conflict was compiled and published by J.W. Floyd, adjutant and inspector general (1901). For those interested in learning more about the Spanish-American War, J.W. Floyd compiled details of every South Carolina Volunteer Troop along with sketches of their movements. The details include the soldiers’ name, age, place of residence and occupation, date of enrollment, date they mustered and the name of the company they served in. These characteristics combined with the detailed accounts of troop maneuvers can create a cohesive concept for readers. This title is available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

The BDC will be teaming up with the Friends of Fort Fremont to bring you the program “The Spanish-American War 1898: Context, Causes, Combat, and Consequences” with presenters George B. Forsythe, Ph.D., BG, US Army (retired) and Raul Galvan, Ph.D. We're also planning to have a booth at their Fall Festival on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

Shelf Three.

In honor of a visit from an 18th century time traveler:

Recipe Book of Eliza Lucas Pinckney by Eliza Lucas Pinckney (1756) is a publication of Eliza’s own recipe book, with more than just recipes for food. In this book you will find aids for all ailments including watery eyes, gout, sore throat, tooth aches, jaundice, and so much more. You can also learn how Eliza polished her furniture, helped her hair to grow, and how she was able to recover veal once it had gone sour. Naturally, you will also find recipes for edible items such as mince “pyes”, mushroom “catchup”, and oyster “soop”. This title is a BDC exclusive, please see the end of this post for details on how to schedule an appointment.

Peggy Picket as Eliza Lucas Pinckney

Eliza Lucas Pinckney: Colonial Plantation Manager and Mother of American Patriots, 1722-1793 by Margaret F. Pickett (2016). In the words of the author: Eliza was "a quintessential 18th century woman and everything she did was within the scope of what society at that time considered appropriate for a woman of her class. [This is] a documented study of the life of a very remarkable woman and the 18th-century world she inhabited." The book covers her early years in Antiqua, the time Eliza was left to run three plantations on her own in a strange new land, the innovations her education in botany and inquisitive mind produced with regard to indigo marketing, and overseeing her Patriot sons' plantations during the American Revolution. She died in Philadelphia in 1793. President George Washington volunteered as a pall-bearer at her funeral. This title is also available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

The BDC is thrilled to be hosting experienced historical interpreter and author Peggy Pickett for her “Eliza Lucas Pinckney's Revolutionary War” program for a second time this year; this time at the Bluffton Branch in October!  

In honor of Archives Month:

The BDC's beloved Cassandra Knoppel will be providing an update to her “Adventures in Archives” series. This will be Cassandra's third program about the challenges of processing archival collections here in the BDC. Earlier this year she described the “Process of Processing” archival collections through four (sometimes not so simple) steps: 

1. Evaluate the Potential New Collection  
2. Accession and Make a Plan  
3. Arrange and Rehouse Materials  
4. Describe the collection in a "Finding Aid" to be made available to researchers 

One of Cassandra’s more recent processed collections is the John Staelin and Elizabeth Locke Collection, circa 1976, circa 2021, undated. After completing the first three steps of processing, Cassandra will then focus on describing the collection in a finding aid. The front page includes basic information on the collection such as its volume, processor, provenance, and citation and copyright details. The remainder of the finding aid will describe the context and scope of the materials so that researchers can develop an understanding of the collection and determine whether the contents are relevant to their research.

JSYK: Finding aids are posted to the BDC’s WordPress blog and added to the “Archival Finding Aids” binder in our Research Room. Sometimes Grace highlights an archival collection on the BDC’s Facebook page in the“Finding Aid Friday” series. 

Speaking of Grace and archival collections: BDC manager, Grace Cordial, will be haunting the Beaufort Branch Library with her program, “Tales from the Crypt: Death in the Archives,” in which she will dive into the library’s special collection and archives unit documents through obituaries, cemetery records, and more! 

Shelf Four

In honor of our Nation's 250th Birthday:

South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History by John W. Gordon (2003). Did you know that historians estimate that about one third of all combat acts (battles, skirmishes, etc.) of the American Revolution occurred in South Carolina? Many encounters occurred in the years between 1775 and 1783 among Patriots, militia units, Native Americans, British regulars, Tories (or Loyalists) and the Continental troops. South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History walks the reader through the documented battles that took place in the Palmetto State during this time and how the state's efforts facilitated America's independence from Great Britain. This title is also available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

In honor of our country’s Semiquincentennial, you will have multiple chances to learn more about Beaufort’s role in the American Revolution. Beaufort County's Emergency Management Division head and independent historian Neil Baxley will be presenting his program “The American Revolution in Beaufort District” at the Beaufort Branch Library. Richard Thomas, lead of Beaufort County's 250th Committee, will be presenting his program, “The Role of the Beaufort Militia in the Revolutionary War,” at the Bluffton Branch Library.  

In honor of our next Author Book Talk:

Hunting Island Lighthouse, Beaufort, SC, c1890

Up Here: The Hunting Island Lighthouse and its Lightkeepers by Theodore J. Panayotoff (2024) shares the history of the Hunting Island Lighthouse. From its creation in 1859, to its demolition during the Civil War, and its rebuilding in 1873; this iconic historic site has lived many lives and remains a symbol of hope in and around the community. This title is available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

Celebrate National Lighthouse Day by hearing from the expert and author himself, Ted Panayotoff, on August 7 at the St. Helena Branch! Grace says: "Given that the renovation of the actual structure continues, attending our local history program is the next best thing to a visit to the lighthouse itself - and climbing all those stairs to the top! (Though the view is wonderful).You really should climb it when the lighthouse re-opens for visitors."

Our digital Russell J. Arnsberger Postcard Collection contains multiple photos and postcards of the Hunting Island Lighthouse, two of which are included in the display and another which is included in this post.

In honor of our longest running program series with the Beaufort History Museum:

The Life of Isaac Ingalls Stevens by Hazard Stevens (1900) is exactly what it sounds like: a biography of Union General Isaac Stevens' life written by his son, Hazard Stevens. General Stevens served his country for a total of sixteen years. One of his most memorable accomplishments was the Battle of Port Royal Ferry in 1862. The BDC holds many materials related to this significant battle, including a vertical file, multiple titles recounting the events, and even a few published prints depicting the battle, which are pinned to the back of the display. This title is available for checkout through the Beaufort County Library System.

Tom Vaselopulos, historian and veteran re-enactor, will be presenting his program on General Issac Stevens and the 79th New York Highlanders in Port Royal during the War. This program will be the opening of season 9 of the joint Beaufort History Museum-Beaufort County Library series coordinated by the Beaufort District Collection.

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I hope you have enjoyed learning about all of the Beaufort District Collection's upcoming programs and partnerships. If any of the mentioned topics were of interest to you, be sure to mark your calendars to catch the program! But remember, all dates and times are tentative, so be sure to check the Beaufort County Library System's Events Calendar for updates.

If you are interested in any of the materials we have shared today, or wish to explore our collection for yourself, appointments are encouraged. To make an appointment, send an email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468. We hope to hear from you soon!