Historic Contexts, Survey Reports and Other Historical Background Studies
Historic contexts and historic property survey reports help us understand the meaning and significance of individual buildings, structures, and sites. They also include valuable information for researchers about South Carolina history and prehistory and the buildings, structures, and sites illustrating that history.
The links below are predominately in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. They include prehistoric and historic contexts, survey reports and other historical background studies that have been developed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), our partners, or by consultants in consultation with the SHPO. The cover documents for National Register Multiple Property Submissions (MPS) and National Historic Landmark Theme Studies detail important historic context information about groups of properties in South Carolina. Also included are selected links to related reports generated in other states.
Prehistory
- Archaic Shell Rings of the Southeast US, National Historic Landmark Historic Context/Theme Study
- Earliest Americans National Historic Landmark Theme Study
- Fig Island Ring Complex
- Late Archaic—Early Woodland Period Shell Rings of South Carolina (MPS)
- Pacolet Soapstone Quarries (MPS)
History
African American related
- African American Primary and Secondary Public School Buildings (MPS)
- Camden African-American Heritage Project (2006)
- Civil Rights Movement in Orangeburg County (MPS)
- Come Back to the Land, An Exploration of James and Johns Islands African American Settlement Communities
- Equalization Schools in South Carolina, 1951-1960 (MPS)
- Equalization Schools Digital Exhibit
- Equalization Schools in Charleston County, Architectural Survey of (2005)
- Equalization Schools - Bucksport Elementary School Report, Horry County
- Faith Cabin Libraries in South Carolina, 1932-ca.1960 (MPS)
- Reconstruction, the Impact of, on African-American Land Ownership in Lower Richland County
- Rosenwald School Building Program in SC, 1917-1932 (MPS)
- St. Matthews Railroad Cut Historical Documentation
- St. Matthews Railroad Cut, Industrial Slavery and the (brochure)
- Segregation in Columbia, 1880-1960 (MPS)
Agriculture related
- Flue-cured Tobacco Production Properties (MPS)
- Georgetown County Rice Culture (MPS)
- Historic Context for Eighteenth-Century Overseers
- Historic Context for Late 19th and Early 20th Century Plantations and Farms in the Center and Lower Townships of Richland County
- Inland Swamp Rice Field Context
- Rice Cultivation, Processing, and Marketing in the Eighteenth-Century
- Tilling the Earth, Georgia’s Historic Agricultural Heritage, A Context
- Tobacco Buildings, Contextualizing South Carolina's
Architecture related
- The American Small House - Early to Mid-20th Century House Types
- A Context for Common Historic Bridge Types
- Courthouses in SC Designed by William Augustus Edwards (MPS)
- A Field Guide to Gas Stations in Texas
- Gardens, A Context for the Study of Lowcountry
- Historic Bridges, SCDOT Story Map of NRHP-eligible Bridges
- Identification and Evaluation of Georgia's Historic Burial Grounds, Context and Handbook
- Georgia's Modern Apartment Complexes, 1936-1954 (MPS)
- Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in Georgia, 1868-1971 (MPS)
- Public Housing in the United States, 1933-1949 (Draft MPS)
- Ranch Houses: Guidelines for Evaluation and Resource Types
- Railroads, Georgia's Historic Context and Statewide Survey, 1833-2015
- South Carolina's Country Stores, 1850-1950, Report Appendices
- Steel Water Towers Associated with South Dakota Water Systems, 1894-1967
- Tabby, The Conservation and Preservation of
- Why Are We Looking at That? Mid-Century and Modern Architecture in South Carolina
Industry related
- Catawba River Valley Gristmill Survey (2000)
- Early Ironworks of Northwestern SC (MPS)
- Gold Mining in the Carolinas
- History of the Phosphate Mining Industry in the SC Lowcountry
- Labor History in the United States, National Historic Landmark Theme Study
- Mills in the Upcountry: A Historic Context and a Summary of a Mill Site on the Peters Creek Heritage Preserve
- Savannah River Site at Fifty
- Savannah River Site, 700/A Area, Site Administration, Safety, Security, and Support
- Savannah River Site, 400/D Area, Heavy Water Production
- Savannah River Site, 300/M Area, Fuel and Target Fabrication
- Savannah River Site, CMX and TNX, Savannah River's Pilot Plants
- Savannah River Site, Reactor Areas
- Savannah River Site, Infrastructure
- Savannah River Site, Separations Processes, F and H Areas
- Sawmill and Lumber Industry of Coastal SC
- SC Land Phosphates in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
- Textile Mills Designed by W.B. Smith Whaley (MPS)
- Warren Mill Dam Remains Documentation, Colleton County
- Woodside Dams I and II and the Norris Mill, Historic Documentation of
Military related
- Charleston Naval Hospital - Building NH68
- Civil War Defenses of Charleston (MPS)
- Civil War Era National Cemeteries (MPS)
- Revolutionary War--Buford's Massacre (Waxhaws Battlefield) Site Survey
Places
- Aiken, City of, Historic Resources Survey (2010)
- Aiken Winter Colony (MPS)
- Anderson County, Historical and Architectural Survey (2002)
- Batesburg-Leesville (MPS)
- Beaufort County Above Ground Historic Resources Survey (1998)
- Bennettsville Historic Resources Survey (2003)
- Berkeley County Historical and Architectural Inventory (1989)
- Berkeley County, Historic Resources of (1990)
- Bishopville (MPS)
- Camden African-American Heritage Project (2006)
- Camden Historic Resources Survey (1996)
- Charles Pinckney National Historic Site - Historic Resource Study
- Charleston, City of, Area Character Appraisals for the neighborhoods of Cannonborough/Elliottborough, Old Windemere, and Byrnes Downs
- Charleston, City of, Survey of Upper King, Upper Meeting Street, and Intersecting Side Streets (2009)
- Charleston, City of, Survey of Murray Boulevard & the Lower Western Peninsula (2010)
- Charleston County Historical and Architectural Survey (1992)
- Charleston County Historic Resources Survey Update (2016)
- Charleston, City of, Upper Peninsula Historic Architectural Resources Survey (2004)
- Cheraw Historic Resources Survey Update (2018)
- Chester, City of, Gadsden-Lancaster Streets Corridor Historic Resources Survey (2001)
- Chesterfield (MPS)
- Clemson University (MPS)
- Colleton County Historical and Architectural Inventory (1995)
- Columbia (MPS)
- Columbia City-wide Architectural Survey and Historic Preservation Plan (1993)
- Columbia Downtown Historic Resources Survey (2020)
- Congaree Swamp National Monument (MPS)
- Conway (MPS)
- Conway, Historical and Architectural Survey (2005)
- Cooper River, Historic Resources of the (MPS)
- Darlington (MPS)
- Darlington, City of, Architectural Survey (2002)
- Dillon County Historic Architectural Survey (2011)
- Dorchester County Historic Resources Survey (1996)
- Eau Claire Historic Resources Survey (2018)
- Edisto Island (MPS)
- Fairfield County (MPS)
- Fort Mill (MPS)
- Fountain Inn Historic Resources Survey (1999)
- Gaffney (MPS)
- Georgetown, City of, Historic Resources Survey (2002)
- Georgetown, City of, Historic District Survey (2010)
- Georgetown, City of, National Register Historic District Cultural Resources Survey (2000)
- Georgetown County, Historic Resources Survey (2005)
- Granby Mill Village Historical Survey (1990)
- Greenville (MPS)
- Greenville, City of, Architectural Inventory (2003)
- Greenville, City of, Historic Resources Survey (2018)
- Greenville County, A Preliminary Archaeological Context for
- Greenville County, Heritage Resources Management Plan
- Greenville County Historic Resources Survey (2013)
- Greer Historic Resources Survey (2017), Report and Appendices
- Hartsville (MPS)
- Horry County Historic Resource Survey (2009)
- James Island and Johns Island Historical Survey (1989)
- Jasper County, Architectural and Historic Survey (1996)
- Kingstree (MPS)
- Kershaw County Historic Resources Survey (2002)
- Lancaster County (MPS)
- Latta (MPS)
- Laurens (MPS)
- Laurens County, Eastern, Historical and Architectural Survey (2003)
- Laurens County, Western, Historical and Architectural Survey (2002)
- Lexington County (MPS)
- Little Mountain, Pomaria, and Prosperity Historical and Architectural Survey (2002)
- Lower Richland County (MPS)
- Marion County Historic Resources Survey (2009)
- Marlboro County Historic Architectural Survey (2012)
- McCormick (MPS)
- Myrtle Beach (MPS)
- Nation Ford Road Area (MPS)
- Newberry (MPS)
- Newberry County Historical and Architectural Survey (2003)
- Ninety Six National Historic Site - Historic Resource Study
- North Charleston, City of, Historical and Architectural Survey (1995)
- Oconee County Penal System (MPS)
- Old Dorchester State Park
- Olympia Mill and Village Historic and Architectural Inventory (2002)
- Orangeburg (MPS)
- Pinopolis (MPS)
- Poinsett Bridge, A Historic Context and Archaeological Survey
- Richland County, Lower, Historical and Architectural Inventory (1993)
- Richland County, Upper, Historical and Architectural Inventory (2002)
- Ridgeway (MPS)
- Rock Hill (MPS)
- Rock Hill Historic Resources Survey Update (2004)
- St. Helena Island (MPS)
- South Carolina State Parks (MPS)
- Springville (MPS)
- Sullivan's Island (MPS)
- Sumter, City of, Historic Resources Survey (2010)
- Union (MPS)
- Union County Historical and Architectural Survey (2005)
- Willtown, An Archaeological and Historical Perspective
- Yamasee Indian Towns (MPS)
- York, City of, Historic Architectural Survey (2008)
- York County Historical and Architectural Inventory