For Whom the Bells Toll

Today in SC History - August 31, 1886, 9:51pm.

The largest recorded earthquake in the history of the southeastern United States strikes Charleston, and is felt as far away as Boston, Chicago, and Cuba. The quake kills more than 100 and leaves hundreds of buildings destroyed.

An eyewitness account and photos from the Charleston Year Book of 1886:

“When the bells of St. Michael’s Church, in Charleston, chimed the third quarter after nine o’clock on the evening of Tuesday, August 31st, 1886, their familiar tones spoke peace and peace alone…There was no whispered warning in the well known sounds, or in any subdued voice of the night, to hint of the fearful calamity so near at hand... Within seven minutes after the last stroke of the chime…Charleston was in ruins.

“The rapid rolling of a heavy body…the rattle of window sashes, gas fixtures and other movable objects… floors were heaving underfoot, the surrounding walls and partitions visibly swayed to and fro, the crash of falling masses of stone and brick and mortar was overheard and without, the terrible roar filled the ears, and seemed to fill the mind and heart…it was only a question of death within the building or without, of being buried beneath the sinking roof or crushed by the falling walls.

“From every quarter arose the shrieks, the cries of pain and fear, the prayers and wailings of terrified women and children...The air was everywhere filled, to the height of the houses, with a whitish cloud of dry, stifling dust arising from the lime and mortar of shattered masonry...a woman lies prone and motionless on the pavement…a man in his shirtsleeves, with blood streaming over his clothing from a wound on his head, moves about…no one knows which way to turn…The reality seems strangely unreal…


“Four severe shocks occurred before midnight. Three others followed…"

Our House, In The Middle of the Storm

Who doesn't love an old building? The charm, the sense of past, the character, the architecture, the way the drafts just seep in and drive the utility bills sky high - well, everything has its price.

Now you can check out the weatherization guide for historic and older buildings. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has some great tips for energy efficiency and keeping costs down!

Cannons Over Columbia!

The scent of metal and gunpowder sharpened the air and hung heavily in the muggy stillness of the September noon. Shifting his canteen, Captain McCawley dragged his sleeve across the sweat beading on his forehead, and gazed over to where the cannon was being readied on the Grassy Knoll. The local men and women of the town had gathered below and now shifted about uneasily, speaking in murmurs, holding back nervously. The warning went up, the call went out, and Captain McCawley braced himself for the noise of cannon fire, hoping dearly that the glass windows of the commander’s office would not shatter.

Patrick McCawley, Accessions Archivist and Supervisor of Archival Processing, has fond memories of the 2006 Civil War Symposium, where the Chester Cannon was fired outside the archives. The cannon itself was dug up during a utility project in the county of Chester many years ago. The cannon was cleaned and refurbished, an old artillery shell was drilled out, and it was given a chance to perform on our very own Grassy Knoll.

In the end, the cannon fire did not break the windows of the Archives, the townspeople were greatly amused, the food was good, the walking tours superb, the speakers profound, and much revelry and merriment was had by all. And Captain McCawley, who isn’t really a captain at all, hung up his uniform, traded his canteen in for something eco-friendly and recyclable, went back to his records, and lived happily ever after.

Don’t miss this year’s Civil War Symposium, held September 18-19. Take it from Patrick himself – if you love to wear your period costumes, you won’t be alone. We have a few living historians coming this year!

We insist that you watch TV.

The Archives & History Center and our very own darling of the archives, Patrick McCawley, will be featured on the PBS series History Detectives on Monday September 7th at 9:00pm. For the fourth time in as many years, PBS' national series "The History Detectives" has found a mystery to solve in South Carolina. And this one might just redraw the maps of the Civil War!

We'll give you a teaser - it's about the true historical location of the Broad River Bridge, the same one that General Sherman would have used to march on Columbia, had the Confederates not burned it to the ground.

David Brinkman, also a featured speaker at our upcoming Civil War Symposium, will show his evidence that the current historical marker is in the wrong location and ought to be moved upstream of the current bridge. If he's correct, the maps will have to be redrawn, so pull out your encyclopedia, and stock up on Sharpies in advance. (We like the pen-style that don't bleed through pages.)

Look for more information about the Civil War Symposium coming soon!

Hope Springs Eternal

Or at least for a good while longer. Congratulations to the Hope School Community Center!

The Hope School Community Center is the name of a Rosenwald School located in rural Newberry County near Pomaria. This little gem of a building was named for the local family who donated the land upon which it was built. It also represented the hope for a better future of the African American children who attended this two-room school from 1925-1954.

And on Saturday August 22, 2009, “hope” captured the feeling of the many guests who gathered in the recently renovated building to celebrate its new life as a community center. Guests marveled at the natural sunlight flooding through the windows, the freshly painted walls and ceiling, the well-worn but newly shined wood floors, the beautifully restored metal roof. Folks in their 60s, 70s and beyond, told stories of what it was like to attend school in this sturdy building, of the miles walked each day, the fires built on cold mornings, of the discipline and love of their teachers.


The restoration process is a remarkable story of many folks coming together – alumni, children of alums, descendants of the Hopes, students at Clemson, and many others—to make the vision of a restored school possible. And it is through their generosity in donating original school desks and a pot belly stove, the school sign, and oral history interviews to the Smithsonian, that future visitors to the National Museum of African American History & Culture, will learn about and share in this hope as well.



To read more about the Hope School Community Center go to http://www.hopeschoolcenter.org/.
For more information about Rosenwald Schools in South Carolina go to http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/afamer/hprosenwald.htm
For more information about the national Rosenwald School Initiative go to http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/southern-region/rosenwald-schools/

Chillin' 'n da Stax

There is an online article regarding the SCDAH entitled “Historical Gems Should Be Preserved” in today’s South Carolina Statehouse Report. You can also find it off the main page under the commentary section.

Props to Chuck Lesser for giving another of his legendary tours to reporter Andy Brack.

So, have you seen John Locke's signature yet?

And remember, if you're going to the vaults, bring a sweater. Maybe even a down parka.

The Friend File

Friends are great - they support you, they let you know when you're making mistakes, they come over when something exciting is going on. We at the archives love our friends, and because we're professional collectors, we want even more. We want educators and teachers, students and families, genealogists and researchers, those who do historical reenacting and history buffs, people interested in preserving buildings and landmarks, anyone who likes museums and libraries, and even you who only have a casual, passing interest in history.

The archives has a lot to offer to you, and we want to be your friend, too. Add us to your web page, or follow us using the links and subscription options below. Tell your friends. Tell your kid's teacher. Tell your neighbor's kid's teacher's friend. Email us around the world, and help us collect all our friends in one place!

Twitter Feed

Hey everyone - got our twitter on, so we're easier to follow!

http://twitter.com/SCArchives (or you can check out our updates feeding at the bottom of this page!)

Past Meets Future!

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is pleased to announce that we have a new blog! Content is under development and will be updated soon, so please visit again!

We are also on facebook and twitter as well - look for the links on our homepage, http://scdah.sc.gov/