African-American History

South Carolina's African-American community has made a significant contribution to the history and culture of the Palmetto State. Even as slaves in the 17th century, they engineered South Carolina's extensive world-class rice fields, introduced Gullah culture and later produced leaders in education, the arts, religion, the military, sports and other fields of achievement.

Archeology

From prehistory to the modern age, South Carolina's long and colorful history has left a legacy of historic sites from which archaeologists can uncover and interpret the Palmetto State's past.

Architectural History

From Antebellum plantation manors to backcountry cabins from historic churches to the elegant designs of Robert Mills, John Niernsee and Frank Lloyd Wright, South Carolina offers a diverse and rich architectural history.

Arts and Sculpture

Throughout its history, South Carolina has been a haven for the arts. Today, the Palmetto State offers a diverse venue of sites that preserve and celebrate the arts, including Brookgreen Gardens and the Art Museum of Myrtle Beach.

Churches and Cemeteries

South Carolina's historic churches date back to the America's Colonial Era, and include a wide variety of ecclesiastical architecture from Prince George Winyah Episcopal Church in Georgetown to Kingston Presbyterian Church in Conway.

Civil Rights History

South Carolina was one of the centers of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and civil rights activists established an epic record of civil rights history in the Palmetto State.

Dinosaurs and Fossils

Eons past, South Carolina was the home of giant camels, mastodons, saber-tooth tigers and, earlier, even some species of dinosaurs. South Carolina's numerous museums preserve the natural history of the Palmetto State.

Ecological Sites/Natural History

From pristine coastal sites to sprawling national forests, South Carolina offers residents and visitors an extraordinary variety of well-preserved natural attractions.

Famous Figures

As one of the oldest settled regions in the United States, South Carolina boasts a rich history peopled by numerous famous figures. From early explorers and patriots to modern astronauts.

Farming and Country Life

Agriculture has always been at the heart of South Carolina's culture. The Palmetto's State's earliest settlers were people of the soil, and South Carolina was an early leader in the production of such crops as indigo, rice, cotton, tobacco, iodine, soybeans, corn and peaches.

Foot Trails/Biking/Outdoors

Whether you're a biker or you prefer footpaths, South Carolina's great outdoors offers something special for you. A wide variety of bike and foot trails can be enjoyed throughout the Palmetto state, ranging from municipal trials to county, state and National Park trails.

Forts/Battlefields/Military History

South Carolina's colorful and important role in American history has left a rich legacy of military history sites, from Revolutionary War sites to Civil War battlefields to modern sites and museums.

Gardens and Grounds

America's oldest landscaped garden's is found at Middleton Place plantation near Charleston. From that extraordinary beginning, South Carolina established a tradition of graceful gardens, including Colonial Era plantation sites such as Brookgreen Gardens near Myrtle Beach to Kalmia Gardens in Hartsville.

Historic Homes

Colonial leaders, signers of the Declaration of Independence, governors, statesmen, planters, pioneers, soldiers, sailors and Reconstruction leaders - all left historic homes in the Palmetto State, along with many others, giving the Palmetto State a legacy of historic homes second to none.

Museums and Living History

The first museum in American - the Charleston Museum - was established in South Carolina in 1773 — two years before the Revolutionary War. Since then, the Palmetto State has become home to numerous museums that celebrate state history, the arts, agriculture, military history, technology, inventions, health care, famous figures, the railroad industry and county history. Want to visit a museum? In South Carolina, you can be sure there's one nearby.

Native American History

Native American cultures flourished in pre-Columbian South Carolina. When the first English colonists settled in the Colony of Carolina, they encountered dozens of Indian tribes with distinctive cultures and languages. Today, the contributions of South Carolina's Native American peoples are preserved in remembered at numerous historic sites and museum.

Pirates and Nautical History

South Carolina's history is wedded to the water - from the Native Americans who sped along our waterways in dugout canoes to the English colonists who established settlements along our coast, nautical history is key to South Carolina founding and development. Explore it at various historic sites and nautical museums ranging from Georgetown's Maritime Museum to Patriot Point in Charleston.

Plantation Culture

From the modest to the magnificent, South Carolina was the seat of Southern plantation life for more two hundred years. Today, along the rivers and roads of the Palmetto States, many of them remain, including the simple elegance of Georgetown's Hopeswee Plantation, the country splendor of The Columns in Florence county and the remarkable grandeur of Charleston's Middleton Place.

Railroads and Transportation

The Best Friend of Charleston, constructed in 1830, was the first steam locomotive built in America, and South Carolina was a Southern leader in rail transportation, hauling cotton, timber, naval stores and passengers. Preserved reminders of that colorful history can be found throughout the Palmetto State.

Recreational History

From Colonial Era coastal resorts such as Pawley's Island, to Myrtle Beach, which helped spur South Carolina's modern tourism industry in 1900, the Palmetto State has an exceptional recreational history and a host of sites that beckon visitors and residents alike.

Schools and Education

Home to the first municipal college in America — the College of Charleston - South Carolina offers a variety of education-related historic sites, including the Historic Myrtle Beach Colored School, which served the local African American community during the era of segregation, and Bennettsville Female Academy, a women's finishing school established in Marlboro County in 1830.

Slave Life and Culture

South Carolina's African-American community, which has made a significant contribution to the history and culture of the Palmetto State, has its roots in South Carolina's slave culture. Today, a variety of historic sites preserve the issues, lifestyle and legacy of South Carolina's slave culture, which began in the 18th Century Colonial Era and continued until ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865.

Timber and Naval Stores

One of South Carolina's earliest and largest exports was timber, followed closely by naval stores (tar, pitch and turpentine), which South Carolinians shipped to England and other American states. Today, the history timber and naval stores industry are preserved at historical sites and centers such as the Horry County Museum in Conway.

Tours

South Carolina's rich history has created an extensive network of history-related tours of historic homes, battlefields, museums, farms, forts, neighborhoods, woodlands, waterways and trails. Whether for an hour, a day or at your own pace, South Carolina's historic sites offer a multitude of touring experiences.