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Historic Preservation


Q: How do I get a place listed in the National Register of Historic Places?

State Historic Preservation Office coordinates the National Register program in South Carolina. Information about the process for nominating a property to the Register is available on our website.

Q: How can I get financial assistance for restoring a historic building?

There are extremely limited grant funds available for restoring historic buildings. Most restoration and rehabilitation work is accomplished with private funds. There are, however, tax incentives for restoring both owner-occupied historic buildings and historic buildings used for income-producing purposes. More information about grants and tax incentives for historic buildings is available on our website.

Q: The owner of an important historic building in our community plans to demolish it. Are there any laws to prevent him from doing this??

You should check with your local government to determine if there is any local protection for the building. Some local governments have adopted zoning laws with preservation provisions to protect historic buildings. Information about local government preservation legislation and a partial list of communities that have adopted local preservation legislation and established boards of architectural review are available on our website.

A federal law, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, encourages the preservation of historic properties that are listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places when a project involves federal assistance. In this case, Section 106 would apply if the owner of the building will use federal funds, permits, or licenses to demolish the building or to develop the lot after he has demolished the building.

If the building is located in one of South Carolina’s eight coastal counties, state law may provide some protection if the owner will need a permit or certification from the Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) to develop the lot after he has demolished the building.

Our website includes more information about the protection provided historic properties by OCRM.

Q: How can our church get one of those historical markers that we see along South Carolina’s highways?

The South Carolina Historical Marker program was authorized by the General Assembly, and the first marker was erected in 1936. Because no state funding is provided for the program, private citizens and organizations suggest, research, sponsor, and pay for markers. The Department of Archives and History is responsible for reviewing and approving the text for each of the markers. Information about program guidelines, marker prices, and the application process is available on our website.

Q: Where can I get information about preserving old cemeteries? Is there any legal protection for cemeteries?

Our website includes information about cemetery preservation including proper techniques for maintenance and restoration and links to South Carolina laws protecting cemeteries.