About us
The purpose of the Berkeley County Historical Society is to collect and preserve history, educate the public, and encourage historic preservation throughout Berkeley County.
Founding members of the Berkeley County Historical Society, 1973.
Our story
The Berkeley County Historical Society was founded in 1973 by neighbors who didn’t want the county’s history — its churches, plantations, schoolhouses, and families — to slip away unrecorded. More than fifty years later, we’re still an entirely volunteer-run organization, with no paid staff and no public funding.
What keeps us going is the same thing that started us: people who care about Berkeley County showing up to research, document, and pass the story forward.
What we do
We work to restore and protect the artifacts, documents, and historic sites of Berkeley County before they’re lost.
We research, write, and publish genealogical and architectural material so families and researchers can access their own history.
Through talks, tours, and community events, we make Berkeley County’s history available to everyone — not just researchers.
Represented parishes
Our leadership includes vice presidents from each historic parish in Berkeley County, so every community has a voice in preserving its own history.
Sites we help protect
From colonial-era chapels of ease to 19th-century schoolhouses, Berkeley County holds a remarkable concentration of early South Carolina history. We help document and advocate for sites like these:
Membership, volunteering, and donations all directly support our archives and community programs.
Become a Member