South Carolina

A fascinating collection of picture postcards document the history of Columbia, South Carolina, from the early 1900s through the 1950s.

With Columbia, South Carolina: A Postcard History, Dave and Marty Sennema have assembled an unprecedented collection of picture postcards to create a retrospective of the area from the early 1900s through the 1950s. Here you will find dramatic images of businesses, street scenes, hotels, office buildings, and homes. Even more fascinating are the buildings which have, over the years, been recycled and used to house various businesses and educational institutions.

This fascinating new history of the Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester tri-county area showcases more than two hundred of the best postcards available of this region of South Carolina.

From the 1890s through the 1930s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced were works of art. Postcard photographers travelled the length and breadth of the nation snapping busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history.

From close-knit community to tourism created by the Grace Memorial Bridge, the pre-World War II story of the Old Village is detailed in this photographic tale.

Mount Pleasant: The Victorian Village is an intimate look at like in the area of the town now known as the historic district, during the slower-paced time before World War II. Called ""The Village"" by its citizens, this close-knit community along the edge of Charleston harbor was formed when five small English settlements merged in the nineteenth century to create the town of Mount Pleasant. The small town had its own identity and remained a ""Victorian Village"" due to its isolation from the outside world except by ferry. Rapid growth and change began with the opening in 1929 of the Grace Memorial Bridge over the Cooper River. The bridge linked cities to the north and south via Highway 40 (now 17), thus opening the door for tourism and commerce while creating local accessibility to Charleston.

Beaufort, South Carolina, the Palmetto State's second-oldest town, is a paradigm of the Lowcountry and well worth a visit in this pictorial history.

As one of the oldest settlements in North America, Beaufort can trace its root deep into the rich history of the New World. This charming city beneath moss-draped oaks has a heritage that is as diverse as it is longstanding. This comprehensive look into Beaufort's past reveals a wide-ranging set of influences that helped to shape the island city's development. From the landing of Spanish sailors in 1514 to the influx of present-day sun-seekers, Beaufort has played host to a variety of inhabitants that have each added a distinct element to its captivating milieu. Author Alexia Jones Helsley calls upon a lifetime of experience as one of South Carolina's premier archivists and historians to illuminate all aspects of Beaufort's history. A native of old Beaufort and an accomplished genealogist, Helsley uses elegant, thoughtful prose to convey the duality of this Lowcountry jewel, from sparkling tides and majestic homes to hurricanes and hidden slave quarters. This vital text is unmatched in its ability to bring to life the fascinating story of a city nearly 500 years in the making.

For 150 years, Rock Hill has been honored as a valuable locale in the South. Because the early town centered around the railways, travelers and industry arrived soon after. In 1895 the institution now known as Winthrop University relocated from Columbia, South Carolina to Rock Hill, and the city secured its reputation for being devoted to education. In its lifetime, Rock Hill has been home to many notable individuals, including nationally recognized artists and writers. Its cultural opportunities still abound, both in conjunction with the university and as straightforward community efforts, as well as through various museums, historic districts, and springtime festivals.

Taste the history of South Carolina's Barbeque in this delectable history from the 1500s to the present day.

South Carolina has been home to good, old-fashioned barbeque for quite a long time. Hundreds of restaurants, stands and food trucks sell tons of the southern staple every day. But the history of Palmetto State barbeque goes deeper than many might believe--it predates the rest of America. Native Americans barbequed pork on makeshift grills as far back as the 1500s after the Spanish introduced the pig into the Americas. Since the early 1920s, South Carolinians have been perfecting the craft and producing some of the best-tastin' 'que in the country. Join author and president of the South Carolina Barbeque Association Lake E. High Jr. as he traces the delectable history from its pre-colonial roots to a thriving modern-day tradition that fuels an endless debate over where to find the best plate.

Join William Gilmore Simms in this unparalleled look at the life of Francis Marion aka "The Swamp Fox'?.

South Carolina's ""Swamp Fox,"" Francis Marion, is one of the most celebrated figures of the American Revolution. Marion's cunning exploits in the Southern theater of the Revolution earned him national renown and a place in history as an American hero and master of modern guerilla warfare. Although dozens of works have been written about Marion's life over the years, this biography -- written by William Gilmore Simms, South Carolina's greatest author -- remains the best. First published in 1844, The Life of Francis Marion was Simms's most commercially successful work of nonfiction. It offers a treatment of Marion's life that is unparalleled in its scope and accuracy, all in Simms's inimitable style.

Boone Hall Plantationis one of America's oldest working plantations, continually growing crops for over three centuries.

In 1681, Boone Hall Plantationbegan its long history in the Lowcountry. From the Boone family through the McRaes, the plantation's residents, black and white, all left a significant imprint upon the land as the plantation survived two wars and became the longest running brickyard in the area.

As a center of tourism, Boone Hallembodies the romance of the South while providing the resources necessary to understand the network of lives that has inhabited the plantation for over 300 years. The plantation is tightly linked with the community and draws upon that relationship in its many educational programs. Numerous festivals are celebrated at the plantation, including the Strawberry Festivaland Happy Jack's Pumpkin Patch, and many seek the unique landscape for their social gatherings. Through these relationships and events, Boone Hallwill endure well into the future.

Island in the Storm, by local historians Jamie and Dorothy Moore, documents in vivid detail the devastation, loss and eventual rebuilding of this beloved island community.

On the night of September 21, 1989, Hurricane Hugo slammed into the South Carolina coast at Sullivan's Island with winds exceeding 160 miles per hour. The colossal force of the hurricane was punctuated by storm surges ranging from five to ten feet above sea level. At approximately one minute after midnight, Hugo's eye passed over the island, and the charming community seaside community disappeared beneath the tumultuous sea for nearly an hour. After Hugo left Sullivan's Island in its furious wake, the first news broadcasts from the Charleston area reported that the island and neighboring Isle of Palms were completely destroyed. The Ben Sawyer Bridge--the only connection to the island at the time--was knocked off its pedestal and rendered useless, and so the hundreds of families who had evacuated the area could not return to their homes to see what, if anything, remained. The recovery process started slowly, and for many it would be a long, arduous journey. More than 15 years later, Sullivan's Island's homes and businesses have been restored, but the memory of Hugo's fury will not soon be forgotten.