Reference
We collect the permanently valuable public records of South Carolina. Colonial, state, county, and municipal government offices created most of the records in our collection. Almost all of our records are open for research and we charge only for photocopies. There is no charge for visiting our Reference Room and looking at records.
Our records date from 1671 through the present. Typical documents in our collection include legislative records, governor’s papers, state agency records, land records, court records and military records. The bulk of our collection covers the period 1671-ca.1950. Our on-line Summary Guide provides an index and overview of our holdings
No. When you visit our Reference Room we charge only for making copies of documents, books and microfilm. Our staff can do a limited amount of research for mail, telephone and email queries. Please contact our Reference Room for fees associated with this service.
More than 60 million documents are held at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. It is not realistic to expect that we will be able to offer significant portions of our collection online in the near future. You can order paper copies of documents by mail. For information, please contact our
Reference Room.
In the Spring of 2002, the Department through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library began digitizing a small portion of its collection. The following materials have been scanned and are now available via the Archives' Online Records Index:
- Confederate Pension Applications, 1919-1938
- Insurance file photographs of public schools, 1935-1952
- Grand Jury Presentments to the General Assembly, 1783-1877
- National Register of Historic Places files
- Colonial Plats, 1731-1775
- Will Transcripts, 1782-1855
The last two above are available through our Beta test on-line index which will go live within the next month. It is accessed through the Archives' Online Records Index.
Yes. Paper copies of microfilm and published books can be made on our coin-operated copiers and copy orders for archival materials can be placed in the Reference Room.
Please call our Reference Desk at (803) 896-6104 or visit our web page at
http://archives.sc.gov
Yes.
Follow this link to find out how.
The S.C. Archives does not participate in an interlibrary loan programroom.
Generally, no. The S.C. Archives collects public (government) records. Newspapers are private enterprises and do not fall within our scope. We do, however, have microfilmed copies of the South Carolina State Gazette, 1732-1782. The best source for historical newspapers in S.C. is the
South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina.
The vast majority of our collection pertains to South Carolina only. We have a few published books and microfilmed records for other, primarily southeastern, states.
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We have many excellent sources for compiling family information such as census records, death certificates, probate records, land records and military service and pension records. When you visit the Archives please have the names of ancestors who lived in South Carolina at least as far back as 1930 and if possible their birth and death dates and county of residence. We always have staff members at the Reference Desk to suggest pertinent sources for you to consult and the best way to access these records
Our reference staff can provide limited research services from mail, telephone and email requests. To find out more about contacting us,
follow this link.
The S.C. Archives collects permanently valuable public records, that is, the records of colonial, state, county and municipal governments in South Carolina. Other archival institutions such as the
South Caroliniana Library, the
S.C. Historical Society and others collect private records such as newspapers, the personal papers of individuals, published family histories, family files and business records. The
Directory of Historical Records Repositories in South Carolina lists the hours, location, and collection information for all historical records repositories in the state.
The state of South Carolina began requiring birth and death certificates to be recorded in 1915 and marriage licenses in 1911. To order copies of birth and death certificates by mail, please contact the Office of Vital Records, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 898-3630. Visit DHEC's Vital Records page (
http://www.scdhec.net/vr) for further information and forms for ordering copies
For the period 1911 – 1950, marriage licenses were recorded in the Probate Judge’s office in the county where the marriage took place. On July 1, 1950 the Office of Vital Records (mentioned above) began getting statewide copies of marriage licenses. The S.C. Archives has copies of marriage records for about twenty of South Carolina’s 46 counties. Please contact our Reference Room for a list of county courthouse addresses.
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