| | | | | | A Nonprofit Membership Organization Working for South Carolinians Since 1990.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Save the Date for the 2026 African American Heritage Conference titled "Uplifting Voices" on February 28, 2025 at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Learn more and view 2025 conference presentations here.
- Call for Proposals for the 2026 South Carolina Historic Preservation Conference on April 24, 2026 at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia. Learn more here.
- View recently added South Carolina sites, districts, and properties to the National Register of Historic Places, here.
- Recently, Cecil Williams, founder of the SC Civil Rights Museum, released a statement about the museum’s journey to completion. He states the construction of the building is almost complete, with an early 2026 open date. Learn more here.
- The American College of the Building Arts is seeking a qualified Professor of Architectural Carpentry to join faculty. Learn more here.
- Charleston's historic St. Patrick Catholic Church has received a $500,000 grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places to restore its steeple. Lean more here.
- Afternoon of tea & topics at the Historic Magnolia Residence in Reevesville. Tour the currently for sale property, and hear from distinguished guest and South Carolina historian and genealogist, Elizabeth Laney. December 13, 2025, 2PM-4PM. Learn more here. | | | | | | Preservation South Carolina Board Members in front of Taveau. | | We have kept the momentum going this year in our efforts to restore and tell the story of Taveau church, located in the small community of Cordesville.
Taveau, built during a tumultuous time, stands as a rare and powerful testament to the national Christian missionary movement that sought to evangelize enslaved African Americans in the rural south.
| | | | By the early 1840s, enslaved men and women who worked on the plantations of the Cooper River were attending worship at Taveau, a stately wooden church built on Clermont Plantation under the direction of Martha Caroline Swinton Ball Taveau. Even though the United Methodist Conference closed its doors in 1974 to merge its congregation within another nearby church, Taveau, incredibly, still stands, a credit to the local Cordesville community who for 50 years reached into personal pockets to preserve their church. But there comes a time in the life of any historic building, whether it’s in downtown Charleston or in tiny Cordesville, where the preservation costs become so great that outside help is needed to restore what should not be lost. In June 2023, we purchased Taveau from the United Methodist Conference.
Since then, we have secured grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Office, enabling us to complete emergency stabilization of the building and develop a stewardship plan. This plan has allowed us to engage community members in envisioning the future of the property post-restoration. View the stewardship plan, created in partnership with The Asiko Group, here. In February this year, Taveau was among thirty successful applicants out of 622 to secure funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust, enabling the commencement of Phase II exterior stabilization and balcony restoration in 2026.
| | | | | | Generous local philanthropist, Mrs. Barbara Rippy, donates $50,000 toward the restoration of the Dawkins House (February 2025). | | In 2023, Preservation SC purchased the then-dilapidated Dawkins House at a delinquent tax sale, with the goal of stabilizing and preserving the historical house for future productive use and study. Situated prominently on USC Union’s campus, USC Union will become the house’s long-term steward after Preservation SC’s stabilization work has been completed and will maintain and utilize the house as an Alumni and Corporate Center. | | | | Built in 1845 as a large addition to a small pre-existing house, the Dawkins House is most notably regarded as the former home of Judge Thomas N. Dawkins and his second wife, Mary Poulton Dawkins. Initially named "the Shrubs" after Mary Poulton's childhood home in England, this two-story, clapboard “terminus” building has five bedrooms, a library/study, two parlors, and eight fireplaces. Portions of the pre-existing structure date back to the 1790s making it one of Union's oldest surviving homes, existing during the time of George Washington’s and John Adams’ presidencies.
From February to April 1865 during the final days of the Civil War, the Dawkins House served as South Carolina’s Provisional Capital where Governor Andrew Magrath and his staff managed the State’s governmental affairs after escaping the burning of Columbia by General Tecumseh Sherman. Governor Magrath, a college friend of Judge Dawkins, was working in the house when he learned that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, after which he fled and was captured in Georgia. Before leaving the Dawkins House, government papers were burned in the house’s eight fireplaces to avoid the identification of South Carolinians who could have been tried for treason. As such, Union has the distinction of being only one of four cities to serve as South Carolina’s state capitol, the others being Columbia, Charleston, and Jacksonboro, and, except for the current state capitol building in Columbia, only the Dawkins House remains standing.
Since starting the emergency stabilization of the Dawkins House in February 2024, we have made significant progress. Thanks to the work of Bennett Preservation Engineering and Huss Construction from Charleston, the structure has been reinforced from the foundation to the roof, ensuring the house's stability and preventing further deterioration. Many of the original windows have been restored by a local craftsman, Robert Schmitt, which included removing the glass, eliminating rot, and replacing weatherized glazing.
Preservation SC, USC Union, and Timken Company. intend to launch a collaborative capital funding campaign in December 2025 to potential business and individual donors located in Union, Laurens, and adjacent counties. Donations will be used to fund Phase II stabilization construction to prepare the structure for USC-U’s customization of the Dawkins House for its use as an alumni and corporate events center.
We appreciate our continued collaboration with our partners at USC Union, Timken Company, the Union-Laurens Commission for Higher Education, Huss Construction, Bennett Preservation Engineering, and Robert Schmitt on this significant project. | | | | | |
This project will take an elevated lodge feel. Rendering courtesy of Bryan Beal of B&B Real Estate Company. | | In August 2024, we announced the acquisition of the Edgefield Hotel by B&B Real Estate Company, a Greenville, South Carolina-based firm, with the goal of restoring the property.
In April 2025, Bryan Beal, the company's owner, presented his vision for the hotel's future at The Mill in Fountain Inn, an | | | | historic flour mill transformed into a multipurpose complex with eateries, a recent renovation project completed by Beal.
Here is an update on the Edgefield Hotel:
Following restoration, the circa 1919 hotel will feature a restaurant, dining room, retail spaces, and a speakeasy in the basement. The second and third floors will offer 25 rooms, including three double rooms. A rooftop patio on the second floor is also planned. The project’s estimated cost is $11M, with construction expected to take around 15 months. Barring delays, groundbreaking is slated to occur in the coming months, once necessary permits and grants are secured.
Preservation SC remains committed to this historic property and it’s restoration, and will continue collaborating with Bryan Beal and the Town to realize the vision for the property. | | | | | | Preservation South Carolina Board Members in front of the Pottersville House. | | Edgefield, South Carolina is rooted in significant historic and cultural treasures; the Town aims to further leverage these resources to attract tourists and their respective spending, enhancing Edgefield’s designation as “The Gateway to Southern History.”
Located on the outskirts of Edgefield is a property known as the Pottersville House. | | | | Portions of this structure date to the late 1700s, and is located in the close vicinity of the Pottersville kiln site, built in 1810 by Abner Landrum. Abner and John Landrum are credited with introducing Edgefield Pottery to much of North America through their potteries located in Edgefield. With a vision to honor its history and bring local and state dollars to Edgefield, the Town has established the pottery heritage tourism project, in partnership with Preservation South Carolina, at the historic Pottersville House.
Since the Town purchased the property in 2024, they have received grants from the South Carolina Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism and the South Carolina Historic Preservation Office to support stabilization planning and construction of the building. Stabilization construction is anticipated to begin in early 2026.
The house's stabilization is the beginning of a larger vision to fully rehabilitate the property into an immersive history museum, highlighting Edgefield's stoneware history and craftsmen. Preservation SC remains dedicated to this historic property and its stabilization, and will continue to collaborate with the Town in implementing this project. | | | | | | Volunteer Work Day at The E.T. West House. | | In February 2025, we announced our acquisition of the E.T. West House through our Revolving Fund, made possible by a substantial appropriation from the South Carolina General Assembly in 2024 and the support of our members.
Located in Darlington's West Broad Street Historic District, this house is one of numerous properties within the district designed and built by Lawrence Reese, a self-taught Black carpenter, architect, and entrepreneur. | | | | Reese's homes are distinguished by their intricate woodwork and elaborate Gothic-style architectural elements, as seen in this circa 1890 Queen Anne Victorian residence. The property features five bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 12-14' ceilings, eight ornate fireplaces, French doors, and two balconies, with stained glass windows throughout. This house is one of 14 buildings Reese designed and built in the district, earning the name Reese Row.
Today, temporary structural bracing has been installed on the front façade to provide lateral support for the walls and frames. The first and second floor systems have been completely rebuilt and work has started on repairing the columns. It is our intent to restore the front facade before locating a new owner to care for this historic property.
We appreciate the work of experienced local builders, Chisholm Construction, and Preservation Consultant, Bill Segars, on this project. | | | | | | Governor's Award Recipient, Jane Crayton Davis | |
The South Carolina Historic Preservation Awards | For 30 years, Preservation South Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and the Office of the Governor have sponsored South Carolina's historic preservation awards. | | | | This year, 16 honorees were chosen for their exceptional accomplishments in the preservation, rehabilitation, and interpretation of the state’s architectural and cultural heritage.
This year’s recipient of the Governor’s Award is Jane Crayton Davis of Aiken. Throughout her career, Jane Davis has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocating for history, from the small to monumental, guided by a holistic approach to preservation. Jane's impact, felt throughout Aiken and extending across South Carolina, is exemplified by her involvement with the Aiken County Library, her 47-year tenure on the Board of Historic Aiken Foundation, and her 10-year tenure on Aiken's Planning and Zoning Commission. Jane has played a pivotal role in supporting over 100 National Register nominations, preserving numerous historic buildings, developing Aiken's preservation ordinances, and supporting various nonprofits, including Preservation South Carolina and the Confederation of Local Historical Societies.
Jane Davis has a passion for historic preservation that has led to the accolade, “a real pioneer in historic preservation in South Carolina.” Her unwavering dedication to preserving South Carolina's heritage makes Jane Davis an exemplary recipient of the Governor's Award
Details and descriptions of recipients here. | | | |
New Programs and Initiatives in 2025 | | As part of our initiative to support historic preservation in communities across South Carolina, we have launched an Endangered Historic Property Form this year. The form aims to identify vulnerable historic properties for potential investment, while also promoting and advocating for their preservation. Since its inception in 1996, our Endangered Properties Program has protected over 40 properties to-date.
Another program we are in the initial phases of developing is a Real Estate Marketing Platform, which aims to increase awareness of historic properties across the state that are for sale, and facilitate connections between homebuyers and realtors/sellers. If interested, please contact Joanna Rothell, Director of Outreach and Preservation at: Joanna@preservesc.org. More details coming soon! | | Do you know of an endangered historic property that has not received the attention it deserves? Endangered Historic Property Forms are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. We will reply to your submission within 60 days. | | | | | |
Message from Chairman, John Hildreth
"As you reflect on these achievements, I urge you to recognize the critical role you play in our continued success. Preservation South Carolina’s programs depend on the generosity of members who understand the value of our shared heritage. Whether through financial contributions, volunteering, or advocacy, your involvement makes all the difference. Please consider renewing your support for Preservation South Carolina today. Together, we can continue to rescue endangered landmarks, protect irreplaceable sites, and inspire new generations to value the legacy we share. Your donation, your time, and your voice are vital to our mission. Thank you for all you have done and all you will do. With your help, Preservation South Carolina can remain a vital force in seeing that historic preservation works to enrich the lives of all South Carolinians."
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