Re-cap of BDC Facebook Posts, August 2025

As per usual, most notices about events or schedule changes in the past at the time of this entry have been selectively edited or deleted. I decided to begin with the most recent posts of Facebook this time.-- gmc 

27 August - "Black History Note:" St. Helena Island was in the eye of the Great Sea Island hurricane - and killed many residents. All but 2 of the dead in Beaufort County were African Americans. The QR codes on the flyer link you to photographs, a list of the known dead here, and Rachel Mather's booklet of personal accounts of the storm and its aftermath. Caution: Some people may find the historical records and descriptions disturbing.

26 August - "Women's Equality Day" and "National Dog Day" AM - Today we celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution on August 26, 1920 and Women's Equality Day - though it is important to note that even with passage of the 19th Amendment some women in the United States were still unable to lawfully cast ballots. Abbie Holmes Christensen was the most prominent of local advocates for the right of women to cast ballots and to have their ballots counted. We have a vertical file of clippings on the topic of suffrage in the Research Room - though as one might suspect South Carolinians of the day were not particularly known for their support of extending the franchise to women. We have multiple copies of Monica Tetzlaff's biography of AHC to share through the Local History sections. The National Archives has more information about this critical document in the history of the United States posted online. PM -- On this "National Dog Day" and given the heat of this summer, I think that Rover has the right idea: I'd rather be hanging out on my porch, too. (This image is part of the Library's Donner Digital Collection hosted by the Lowcountry Digital Library.)

25 August - Today's "Uniquely BDC Materials Monday" highlights our holdings of the short-lived hyper-local newspaper, the Bluffton Eccentric. We have most - but not all - of the issues. And don't forget, there's only two weeks to the "History of Bluffton" with Michael Reynolds at Bluffton Branch Library. A late addition to our Fall 2025 local history schedule is the opening lecture for the "Historically Speaking" series we do with the Beaufort County Historical Society. Leah Roche will present "History on a Stick" about the historic markers along our streets and highways on Thursday, September 25 at Beaufort Branch Library.

23 August - New Deal Art in South Carolina: Government-Supported Images from the Great Depression is a catalog of an exhibit that ran at the South Carolina State Museum June 16 - October 14, 1990. What I found most interesting are the references to the Beaufort Fine Arts Association and its art gallery space called the Beaufort Civic Arts Center that was in the Beaufort Township Library's basement. Funding came from the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The catalog contains citations of Beaufort Gazette articles about the local art scene. Beaufort related images included in the catalog are John "Tuscarora Jack" Barnwell, and photographs taken of the area by Walker Evans and Marion Post Wolcott. You have several options available for accessing this item. You can read it in the Research Room or you can download a copy from the State Library's digital library or borrow a copy through the SCLENDS consortium

22 August - Please pencil this upcoming program into your calendars: Barney Forsythe, PhD and Raul Galvan, PhD will provide some background information on the whys behind the construction of local landmark Fort Fremont on September 22. We recently posted a guide to library materials and other information about Fort Fremont in our BDCBCL: Links, Lists and Finding Aids blog on WordPress to guide your research.

21 August - One of the joys of being a librarian is looking at statistics (not). In July, 225 Local History items got checked out from the branch libraries and bookmobile. Customers of Hilton Head Branch were way in the lead with 77 check-outs; Beaufort had 42; Hilton Head Branch and Port Royal Branch tied with 34 check-outs each. Be sure to drop by the Branch Libraries to see all the stock that the BDC shares through the local history sections.

20 August - "Black History Note:" Sam Doyle (1906 - 1985) was a folk artist from St. Helena Island. He used cast-off materials at hand, like house paint, softened plywood and roofing tin, to paint his colorful and vibrant vision of Gullah life on the sea islands. The greater folk art world discovered his work in 1982. Let's honor him and his art during this "American Artist Appreciation Month."

19 August - It's World Photography Day when we celebrate the art, craft, science and history of photography. Here are some ways to honor the day:

1) The BDC has 5 photographic collections posted online through the good services of the Lowcountry Digital Library.

2) Book recommendation: Partners with the Sun by Harvey Teal discusses the history of photography in SC. The BDC has a copy but there are a few copies that can be borrowed via SCLENDS.

3) Peruse the 770s at your local public library for other books about photography.

4) Check out our coffee-table book recommendations.

5) Make a photo that shows your world today and share it with others.

18 August - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" Were you aware that the BDC collects contemporary posters promoting current events? Given that it's American Artist Appreciation Month, here's one from 2023 celebrating artists working locally.

17 August - No "specials" this week in terms of local history programs. But Cassandra offered some advice on how to protect your personal collections in "Beating Heat and Humidity" that you may find helpful.

16 August - Even though the Library's Summer Reading Program has come and gone for 2025, you still have some time to participate in the AHA 2025 Reading Challenge. I offered some suggestions in a Connections post earlier this summer to help you out.

15 August - On August 10 I posted to Connections what may well have been the BDC's first annual report - mostly for myself as I often just see what hasn't gotten done rather than all that has been done but also for transparency. It's sometimes good to step back and look at the forest. IMNSHO Fiscal Year 2025 was a good one. I am proud of the quality and quantity of the work done by the BDC staff, docent cadre, and our honorary staff person Valerie Lesesne of the Library's Technical Services unit (i.e., the BDC crew) and the depth of the public support we get from you for our efforts to acquire, preserve and share Beaufort District’s long and storied history through a variety of formats, platforms, and ways. Thank you.

14 August - Read how Beaufort celebrated the end of World War II 80 years ago today in this clipping from the Beaufort Gazette (which was the only newspaper published in Beaufort County at the time). The Japanese military forces accepted defeat on August 14, 1945. Officials announced the surrender of Japan to the Allies on August 15, 1945. This notice appeared in the Beaufort Gazette issue of August 17. The official signing of surrender took place on September 2, 1945, officially ending World War II.

13 August - "Black History Note Wednesday:" Leigh Richmond Miner was an artist, photographer, and Director of Applied Art at the Hampton Institute who took some evocative photographs of St. Helena Island circa 1900. Rossa B. Cooley used his images to help fund-raise for Penn School. The glass plate negatives were discovered many years later on the campus, preserved, and published as "Face of An Island" in 1970. The BDC has several copies of the title to insure that one will always be available in the future. You can borrow Face of An Island from one of the Local History sections too.

12 August - You can celebrate "World Elephant Day" by reading tales about elephants and other creatures in Gullah folklore. In particular we recommend "De Rabbit an' de Elephant tushes," "Buh elephant an buh rooster," "Buh rabbit and buh elephunt," "Buh Rabbit fools B'Olifaum an Buh Whale" from Gullah Animal Tales from Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, Gullah Folktales from the Georgia Coast and Afro-American Folk Lore.

11 August - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday" - It's "Play in the Sand Day" - and this activity just so happened to get the highest number of votes in our most recent poll. It's many a person's favorite summertime activity. This is one of the more than 350 postcards in the Library's Arnsberger Postcard Digital Collection.

10 August - Though we have no "specials" this week, I thought that I'd share Sydney's latest selection for the BDC's registration station. Poet, Clover Club member and local resident Elizabeth Bannister Dowling composed "August in Beaufort" in commemoration of South Carolina's Tricentennial anniversary in 1970.

Dear winter residents, and moved Marines,

Who have not summered Beaufort's summers through,

To whom our eighth imperial month is new,

Here's what you'd find, in gluey dog-day scenes:

The dogwood blossoms -- gone; firedogs, firescreens,

Atticed, or basemented; a kind of dew

Stuck to our hands, and heads; the zinnias, true

Last heroes, withering, and all gray their greens.

But, you'd find more: an informality,

Warm, heat-engendered, sweeter than other times;

A shimmering laziness, a brave esprit

Rebounding from the haze, and laced with limes,

And, most of all, that famous, craved Cool Spell

In August -- lovelier than a Bay Point shell!

Included in A Patchwork of Poems by Edith Bannister Dowling, p. 31.

9 August - Book lovers, bookworms, and bibliophiles celebrate National Book Lovers Day today. What are you reading? [Answers included: Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon; Slave Counterpoint: Black Culture in Eighteenth Century Chesapeake and Lowcountry by Philip D. Morgan; Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis; Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch [This one is a series with lots and lots of installments]; Theo of Golden by Allen Levi; Party of Liars: A Novel by Kelsey Cox [This one I expected to be non-fiction about either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party but ...] ; and The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert J. Waldinger and Marc S. Schultz. Only one title related to local history, but that's okay. At least folks are reading books.]

8 August - AM - "Finding Aid Friday:" The BDC has archival collections from all sorts of organizations, including some dedicated to the arts. The Beaufort Art Association was established in 1957 to promote and support the visual arts and local artists. In 2019 the association donated their archives to the Library. Let the Finding Aid be your guide to determine whether or not you'd like to set up an appointment to review the collection's contents: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468. PM - Pencil this BDC local history program at Bluffton Branch with Michael Reynolds about the history of Bluffton into your calendars for next month.

7 August - We're celebrating National Lighthouse Day this afternoon.

6 August - "Black History Note:" Because it’s American Artist Appreciation Month, learn about the art of Garden’s Corner Native son, Jonathan Green. The Library has lots of books for you to borrow – or you can visit the Research Room to see our BDC vertical file on this important lowcountry artist. Appointments are strongly encouraged – to make sure that someone will be here to assist you: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468.

5 August - How the BDC cooperated with Summer Reading Program 2025 in June and July: I started off being somewhat discouraged by the theme "Color Our World" but Sydney decided that the display would be "'Color Our World' with History" which started us on the path to make our contribution fuller than I originally expected:

• The BDC held two "color" themed local history programs: one about the true-blue friendship of James Monroe and General Lafayette on July 2nd and colorful local public art projects on July 28th. Attendance was a bit above what we expected from a summertime local history program.
• Staff researched and wrote 9 Connections articles about "colorful" topics and formats in the Research Room - some of which were linked to Facebook posts.
• I uploaded 32 "color" related posts on Facebook.
• Cassandra researched and wrote a Finding Aid for the "Cows on Vacation" photographic prints.

4 August - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday" features the book that Ted Panayotoff wrote. The Beaufort County Library system has all 9 copies of Up Here: The Hunting Island Lighthouse and Lightkeepers within the SCLENDS consortium of 20 county libraries and the State Library that have agreed to share resources and circulating materials.

3 August - The week in the BDC, we have two "specials" [both of which have now passed].

2 August - It's National Coloring Book Day - and the BDC has some! We just don't let you color in them.

1 August - The monthly overview.

What to Expect in September 2025

September is Library Card Sign Up Month. If you don't already have one, do consider applying for one as it opens up endless possibilities for all ages. IMNSHO: It's the most valuable card in my wallet - and I heartily recommend that every Beaufort County resident has or gets one.

We'll observe Hispanic-American Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) in our customary ways. This means we'll highlight more Spanish related resources than Hispanic-American ones that we have in the Research Room. Quite honestly, the BDC comes up a little short when it comes to Hispanic-American resources on account of our geographical imperative and the fact that until the late 1980s immigration from Spanish speaking countries to Beaufort County was rather limited. We will nevertheless endeavor to highlight and share those that we do have with you via the BDC's social media platforms.

Our September calendar is full of "specials." We offer three local history programs this month that are detailed in an earlier Connections post.

• Monday, September 8, 2025 - "History of Bluffton" with Michael Reynolds. | BDC@ Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way | 4 PM. 
• Monday, September 22, 2025 - "Spanish-American War 1898: Context, Causes, Combat and Consequences" with Barney Forsythe, PhD and Raul Galvan, PhD. | Co-sponsored by the Friends of Fort Fremont. | BDC@ St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road | 2 PM. 
• Thursday, September 25, 2025 - "History on a Stick: The Historical Marker Program" with Leah Roche | "Historically Speaking" series, 7.1, co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society | BDC@ Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street | 11 AM. 

Plus Sydney, Cassandra and I will deliver the periodic BDC orientation presentation and tour for new Library staff. That's always fun since we get odd-ball questions from time to time. (It keeps us on our toes.)

I am speaking at OLLI-Beaufort mid-month - the 4th BDC Community Outreach activity in Fiscal Year 2026.

The BDC marks a significant milestone on September 29 - 15 years on the 2nd floor. No festivities are planned.

Note: All units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed Monday, September 1, 2025 in honor of Labor Day.

Programs Coming Your Way in September

The BDC has three public programs on our calendar for September this year. We hope that you'll be able to join us for one or even better both!. 

• Monday, September 8, 2025 - "History of Bluffton" with Michael Reynolds. | BDC@ Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way | 4 PM. 

Program Blurb: The Bluffton History presentation begins with the Native Americans who occupied the area, it then covers the colonial period, the predevelopment period and modern times.  The program showcases Bluffton as was when first settled all the way through through the population explosion of the 21st century through the eyes of one of its native sons, Michael Reynolds.

Please note the start time a later in the day start time and is expected to last a bit longer than is customary for BDC local history programs. This adjustment was made at the Speaker's request. 

Speaker Biography: Michael Reynolds was born and raised in Bluffton and has called Bluffton home for six decades.  He is the founder of the "Bluffton History" Facebook page that has been operating for 15 years and is committed to researching and publishing Bluffton history, showcasing old Bluffton maps and photographs, newspaper articles and recording oral histories of some of Bluffton's most senior citizens.  Michael can trace his Reynolds family in Beaufort County nine generations to the 1690s, over 330 years ago.  His dad was the first person to hold the title of Bluffton Police Chief, which was a part time job back in the 1960's.  Michael's mother's family were some of the Swiss Huguenots who settled Purysburg in 1732. Michael is truly as local as it gets.

• Monday, September 22, 2025 - "Spanish-American War 1898: Context, Causes, Combat and Consequences" with Barney Forsythe, PhD and Raul Galvan, PhD. | Co-sponsored by the Friends of Fort Fremont. | BDC@ St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road | 2 PM. 

Most of us give little thought to the Spanish-American War - and if you think about it at all, you probably think that the war was caused by Spain's sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor and that Teddy Roosevelt led the Rough Riders to victory on San Juan Hill. This program offered in partnership with the Friends of Fort Fremont may cause you to re-think those points.  

Program Blurb: Learn how the United States emerged as a global power at the start of the 20th century, thanks to the "splendid little war of 1898." Presenters George "Barney" Forsythe and Raul Galvan will discuss the United States war with Spain, explore the multiple factors that led to the conflict (not the least of which was Cuba's fight for independence), summarize combat operations, and consider the consequences of the war for all parties. 

Speaker Biographies:

George B. "Barney" Forsythe, a 1970 graduate of West Point, spent 35 years on active duty in the United States Army before returning to the United States Military Academy as a professor and later as Vice Dean for Education. He retired for the first time in 2005 and advanced in rank to Brigadier General. He joined Westminster College in Missouri as Senior Vice President and Dean of Faculty until he was selected President of the college in 2008. He retired again in 2015. Gen. Forsythe currently serves as the President of the Friends of Fort Fremont. 

Dr. Raul Galvan was born in Cuba and came to the United States in 1961. He had a long career at Milwaukee PBS and the Bradley Center and earned his Doctorate in History from UWM in 2011. While in Public TV, he produced many television shows and was nominated for numerous Regional Emmy Awards. He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals, op-eds as well as a youth book, and has traveled to Cuba frequently. He relocated to Beaufort County in 2024. 

• Thursday, September 25, 2025 - "History on a Stick: The Historical Marker Program" with Leah Roche | "Historically Speaking" series, 7.1, co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society | BDC@ Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street | 11 AM. 

No doubt you've passed by many an installed "History on a Stick" (aka historic marker) in your lifetime. Did you ever wonder where the historical markers you see whizzing past on the highway came from? Come learn about one of the signature activities of the Beaufort County Historical Society in this season 7 opener for the BDC Beaufort County Historical Society "Historically Speaking" local history series. Leah Roche will be the presenter. 

Program Blurb: Though historical markers seem to simply “appear” on the landscape, there is a detailed process involving many people, lots of time, money, and maybe a little “blood, sweat and tears” to earn designation as an official S.C. Historical Marker. Follow the “Life Cycle of the Historical Marker” from its beginning as a simple idea to commemorate an event, place or person of historical significance, through the research process, to state approval, marker fabrication, installation, dedication, and maintenance. Discover how to enjoy the markers all over our county by creating your own Marker Scavenger Hunt, using our geographical lists accompanied by our Google Maps with marker locations. Gain a clear understanding of the fascinating process the Beaufort County Historical Society adheres to, under the auspices of the S.C. Department of Archives and History, as the oldest of many groups who develop these markers countywide. 

Speaker Biography: Leah Roche earned her Bachelor’s degree in Library Leah Roche earned her Bachelor’s degree in Library Science and History from Florida State University, and her Master’s in Library Science from the University of South Carolina. She served as a high school media specialist (school librarian) for 28 yrs at both Beaufort and Bluffton High, and was voted Teacher of the Year at Beaufort High School early in her tenure there. She later was the first media specialist in Beaufort County to earn National Board for Professional Teaching certification. In her role as media specialist, Leah served as webmaster of the school websites at both Beaufort and Bluffton High. 

After retirement, she joined the Beaufort County Historical Society, and helped develop that organization’s current website. She also created the interactive Google map of SC Historical Markers in Beaufort County, so that citizens and visitors alike could locate and visit them. She planned a county-wide “marker scavenger hunt” called “Marker Mania,” which took place during the first summer of COVID, involving over 250 participants. She currently serves as the Recording Secretary and Webmaster for the . Beaufort County Historical Society.

Remember to always check the Library system calendar and the Library's homepage for the latest updates regarding changes to our program and operations schedule. We are solidly in the most active phase of hurricane formation for the next 6 weeks. 

Disaster, Death and Destruction: Personal Narratives of the Hurricane of 1893

The BDC often features the biggest natural disaster thus far in Beaufort District's history during August. We will do so again this year by unveiling a new treatment of the Hurricane of 1893 focusing on personal accounts of people who survived that dreadful night.

These two sessions will focus on a few of the dramatic personal accounts of what happened that fateful night and during the ensuing months of the long recovery effort. Prepare yourself for 45 minutes of heart-breaking stories of death, destruction and loss. CAUTION: Some attendees may find the content disturbing. 

Beating the Heat and Humidity: How to Manage your Collections in a Coastal Climate by Cassandra Knoppel

Late last month, at the onset of the terrible heatwave we had in Beaufort, my home's air conditioning went out. My husband and I came home from work on a Friday evening to find the temperature in our house climbing above 85° F, and the HVAC repairmen said we'd have to wait until at least 8:30 that night before someone could get out to take a look at it. My husband's first concern was the health of his wife and dog in the heat (and the safety of the homemade hot sauce he was fermenting). My first concern? Aside from the health of our poor old dog, I was bombarded with thoughts like "How soon until the walls grow mold?" and "Do we have any precious documents and photos that might get damaged in the high heat?" My reaction was admittedly a little more extreme, but that's because I have to keep these things in mind at work as we try to preserve our historic collections in a hot and humid climate. 

Heat and humidity are two of the worst enemies of preservation, and given where the BDC is located, some might think that we are fighting a losing battle. ASHRAE designated Beaufort County as being within Zone 2-A: Hot-Humid, but any local knows that fact just by stepping outside in the months between April and October. Living in such a climate makes things difficult, not just in terms of staying comfortable but in keeping things safe from creatures and critters who thrive in muggy conditions. In the Getty Conservation Institute's Managing Collection Environments: Technical Notes and Guidance (2023), the authors state that "...a Zone 2A Hot-Humid climate can be expected to host microorganisms and insects throughout the year" (p.60). Microorganisms like mold and insects of all varieties can damage collections, and hot and wet conditions on their own can also slowly degrade the integrity of cultural materials.

But, despite the clammy cards we've been dealt here in Beaufort County, the BDC follows guidelines and best practices that help us to conquer the threats to our collection, and we'd like to share some of these tips with those of you who might be worrying about the safety of your collections in this weather, too. We've adapted the 2023 CCAHA article "Hot and Humid Weather Preservation Tips from CCAHA's Preservation Services Office," which is geared more towards collections professionals, to make their 5-point list more relevant to at-home preservation of personal document and photograph collections (along with some additional advice).

1. Find a safe place to house your collection

Last year, I worked on a collection of records that had once been stored in a shed for many years. The members of the organization recognized this was probably not a great place to keep their records but were limited in places to store their materials. When the organization made the decision to give the BDC their records, they felt relieved that the collection would be a safe environment, and we felt that way too! However, those years of less-than-ideal storage conditions had taken their toll on some of the records. Materials bore signs of water damage, some pages had dormant mold, and photographs were stuck together from heat and water-caused delamination, which the BDC remediated as best we could.

To prevent something like this from happening to your personal collections, it is best to store materials somewhere safe from huge swings in temperature and humidity levels and away from potential sources of water or pest damage. Attics, basements, sheds, and garages are not safe storage areas because they are often not temperature or humidity controlled, can be pest "hot spots," are more likely to flood or experience leaks, and are less convenient for periodic monitoring (which is something we'll address later in this post!). Instead, find somewhere in your home that is climate controlled. Keeping collections off the floor is also ideal, as it can prevent damage caused by flooding if your roof leaks from one of the Lowcountry's furious mid-summer thunderstorms (or hurricanes!). It would be best not to store items in areas with known issues with leaks, mold, or pests either.

Collections Environment Infographic
by CCAHA   

2. Create and maintain the right "climate" for storage

Ideally, collections should be kept in an environment that is between 50° and 77° F. This can prevent some of the chemical reactions that can happen in high heat that causes materials to fade or yellow, become brittle and crack, or melt and stick to one another.

Maintaining a safe humidity level is also important, as the relative humidity is a big factor in mold growth. If your HVAC system allows for it, keeping the relative humidity below 65% can prevent mold from germinating and growing on your treasured documents and photographs. (If you're extra nerdy like me and would like to learn more about the most ideal environmental conditions for museums, archives, and historic houses, you can check out the chart provided by ASHRAE on page 117 of the Getty's Managing Collection Environments: Technical Notes and Guidance.) If you cannot monitor and adjust relative humidity through your HVAC system, you can also use a portable dehumidifier and set the relative humidity level to 75% or under. This can help keep both you and your collections comfortable in muggy weather. Using a fan to move air around your collection storage area also helps to lower the humidity and prevent mold from growing.

3. Periodically monitor your collections and their storage environment 

Once you set up your personal collection storage area, it is important to keep tabs on the space to see if any issues arise. In the BDC, we check the temperature and relative humidity level in our collection twice daily to ensure that we are operating within safe levels, but a less frequent check of your storage area can suffice, especially if the storage area is a bookshelf in a room that you frequently spend time in. If you don't otherwise frequent the storage area as often, it is best to check in periodically to ensure that the temperature and humidity levels are as they should be, that pests have not invaded the space in your absence, and that, perhaps, your HVAC drain pan in the attic has not backed up and created a ceiling leak that is dripping rusty water on your items (ask me where I came up with that example!). Staying abreast of any potential problems before they get out-of-hand and cause real damage to your collections is always a good idea.

You can create a routine of checking the environment weekly or even monthly, depending on your collection's needs and your schedule. If the weather is particularly rainy, or a large storm has just blown through town, it would be good to check your storage area in addition to your regularly planned "inspection" to see if any leaks in windows or ceilings have materialized. If a heatwave is affecting the area and you have multiple HVAC systems in your home, I would also suggest checking your storage area to ensure that the system in that area of your house has not failed or is struggling to keep up. 

Remember: Prevention and preservation are much easier (and cheaper) than remediation and restoration!

I hope these tips are helpful to those who are either getting started or in the midst of preserving your personal heritage items here in the Lowcountry. While it can be overwhelming to know that preserving materials is not a simple, one-time thing but more-so an ongoing and evolving process, doing so is vital to ensure that the things we value are available for future generations. 

References: 

ASHRAE. (2021). ANSI/ASHRAE Addendum a to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169-2020: Climatic data for building design standards. https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/standards%20and%20guidelines/standards%20addenda/169_2020_a_20211029.pdf

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (n.d.). Collections environment infographic. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://ccaha.org/resources/collections-environment-infographic

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (2022, October 24). Temperature, relative humidity, and dew point for collections. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. https://ccaha.org/resources/temperature-relative-humidity-and-dew-point-collections

Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. (2023, June 15). Hot and humid weather preservation tips from CCAHA’s preservation services office. Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. https://ccaha.org/news/hot-and-humid-weather-preservation-tips-ccahas-preservation-services-office

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures a division of American Library Association. (n.d.). Quick preservation tips. Preservation Week. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://preservationweek.org/resources/quick-preservation-tips/

Gaylord Archival. (n.d.). Agents of deterioration. Gaylord Archival. Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://info.gaylord.com/resources/agents-of-deterioration

Taylor, J. T., & Beltran, V. L. (Eds.) (with Getty Conservation Institute). (2023). Managing collection environments: Technical notes and guidance. Getty Conservation Institute. https://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/mce-technical-notes-and-guidance.pdf

 

The BDC's Annual Report, FY 2025

This may be my first annual report to the community about the successes and continuing challenges of the Beaufort District Collection. Because of staff turnover and frequent staff shortages through the many years of my stewardship, most of the time I was just trying to keep on keeping on with what had to be done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis embodying the adage: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Doing that left little time for reflection and gathering statistics to share with the public at large.

Getting a third full-time position in January 2024 and having that position filled by Cassandra Knoppel as the Library Specialist in charge of archives processing - and the hiring of Sydney Whiteside as the most recent BDC Library Assistant in November 2024 - has been absolutely critical to the BDC's FY2025 success. 

Here's what the BDC accomplished: 

1. BDC Clients

• We appreciate the 293 registered visitors who came into our Research Room excited to explore the historic materials we have collected and safeguarded for them to use for their projects.
  
• Alas we did not keep track of all the folks who called or emailed asking for help with their historical and genealogical projects. Counting gets more complicated because how one "counts" archival visits and questions is different than how one "counts" reference questions within public libraries. But ... 
• We estimate that BDC staff answered some 600 reference questions of varying scope and depth. [The Augur system kept crashing and sometimes we forgot to go old-school hashmark].
• We appreciate the unknown-to-us people who accessed our social media platforms.
• We appreciate the unknown-to-us people who enjoyed our digital collections hosted by the Lowcountry Digital Library.
• We appreciate those who attended our local history programs or stopped by to speak with us during our community outreach efforts. 

2. Collection Development 

The term "collection development" describes the process of selecting, arranging, maintaining and (very, very rarely in the BDC) removing materials about local history. Here's an excerpt of the BDC's official collection development policy that is part of the Library system's collection development policy: 

Materials are carefully selected and curated for lasting value and long-term access within the Beaufort District Collection. The Beaufort District Collection may collect materials, in any format, that support its mission. Because of the nature of a local history research collection, some materials may include terminology and concepts reflective of the creator’s place and time which are now deemed offensive. Additional South Carolina, Southern, or Civil War materials may be collected if they relate to the primary collection or are of help in using the primary collection when appropriate storage is available.

• We added about 232 items (books, DVDs, illustrated prints, maps, posters, vertical files, etc.).
• We were gifted 11 small archival collections. 
• You can learn more about some of the items and archives through our "New (and New-To-Us) posts of April 13, 2025, April 16, 2025, and July 6, 2025. 

3. BDCBCL: Links, Lists and Finding Aids blog on the WordPress platform. 

• Cassandra has completed more archival Finding Aids than the BDC has ever managed to get done before: 17 new Finding Aids - all but one which have been posted online. She also updated a number of Finding Aids with accretions from organizations who were making additional donations to their records. 
• We uploaded two new guides: Cassandra prepared "The American Revolution in Lowcountry South Carolina Resource Guide" and I created one about Fort Frederick.  
• We updated 55 posts to ensure accuracy of the links provided and availability of  the resources listed through the SCLENDS consortium. 
• The number of views of this blog increased by 6% to 16,300. 
• Our new visitors increased 12% to a total of 11,300 visitors. 
• In case you're wondering, the most popular posts last fiscal year were: 
• The Legacy of Dr. Buzzard
• The R.L. Johnson Medical Record Book
• The Sea Island Hurricane of 1893 

4. Beaufort District Collection Connections blog on the Blogger Platform. 

• Cassandra and Sydney now share some of the Connections responsibilities with me. Together we posted 74 new articles: 
• Cassandra researched and wrote 7 posts.
• Sydney researched and wrote 13 posts.
• I researched and wrote the remainder.
• Blogger analytics leave a bit to be desired so I doubt that the 22K number is correct but I do like the way it sounds. 

5. BDC Facebook Page

The BDC's Facebook page for local history nerds has been around for a long time now -  since May 2012. 

• We have about 750 followers who do not appear to interact with the content very much - except for a few faithful "likers" and even fewer who comment on our posts. 
• Changes at Facebook - emphasis on monetization and algorithm shifts - have not been to the BDC's benefit.   
• Nevertheless, I see the Facebook platform as a way to share educational content and promote materials in our collection to the community though I have scaled back the BDC's posts somewhat over FY 2025.   

6. BDC Local History Programs

Although we have yet to return to our pre-COVID per session program attendance numbers - and I seriously doubt that we will because the way people interact with the world has changed in the pandemic's wake - we are making some progress in numbers of attendees and scope of in-person program delivery - which was definitely helped by the quality of our presenters. We are so very, very grateful to all our presenters who gave freely of their time and expertise to help us reach a banner year of BDC programs! 

• We sponsored and/or hosted 31 local history programs at various library branches - far more local history programs than the BDC has ever hosted even when taking into consideration the intense "Civil War 150" series of 2013. 
• We held more local history programs south of the Broad River, mostly on account of our new partnership with the Hilton Head Chapter of the Archaeological Society of South Carolina and the willingness of the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250 Committee to cross the river.  
• We sustained our partnerships with the Beaufort County Historical Society, Beaufort History Museum, and the Beaufort County 250 Committee.
• We had 614 people attend BDC local history programs. 

7. BDC Community Outreach 

We participated in a record number of community outreach opportunities during FY 2025, including the once in a lifetime Lafayette 200 celebration. 

• We added appearances at OLLI - USCB North, a field trip to Fort Frederick, and talks at the Coastal Discovery Museum and Brays Island. 
• Lafayette 200 led by the Historic Beaufort Foundation in cooperation with a host of cultural heritage and genealogical societies was acknowledged as an outstanding community celebration by the American Friends of Lafayette organization. 
• We staffed booths at the Beaufort History Museum's Civil War Encampment and at the Annual Symposium of the Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era. 
• We interacted with 342 people through these events.

8. BDC Projects

• Thanks to the diligence of Valerie Lesesne of the Library's Technical Services unit and Laura Lewis, veteran Beloved Docent, we finished the vertical file merging project at long last! 
• We have 6 dedicated Dearly Beloved Docents who are steadily working on their respective projects: transcribing manuscript materials, indexing key sources, and performing critical preservation tasks. 

I could not be prouder of the quality and quantity of the work done by the BDC Crew during Fiscal Year 2025 – nor of the depth of your support, Dear Reader, for our efforts to acquire, preserve and share Beaufort District’s long and storied history through a variety of formats, platforms, and ways. Thank you. 

July 2025 Facebook Post Re-cap

As per usual, some minor editing has occurred. - gmc  

July1 - The monthly overview on the BDC's Facebook page is an abbreviated and edited version of the monthly overivew post on Connections. 

July 3 - Unfortunately, yellow fever has colored a lot of American and world history in very bad ways. The SCLENDS consortium has a number of titles about Yellow Fever. Choose a book or two from the flyer to learn more about the history of this deadly disease.

July 7 - AM -"Uniquely BDC Materials Monday:" I talked a bit about Lafayette's incarceration during the French Revolution last week in "Red, White, and Blue (times 2)." If you'd like to learn more, we are the only SCLENDS library to hold Lafayette: Prisoner of State by Paul S. Spalding (2010) about the 5 years (1792 - 1797) he spent in lock-up by a coalition of Austrians and Prussians during the French Revolution. According to the author: "Fayettists saw his experience as a parable of the struggle that would eventually lead to the triumph of liberty over tyranny, good over evil." Be sure not to jump over the bits about South Carolinians Francis Kinloch Huger and Thomas Pinckney and the 1794 escape attempt.

July 7 - PM - A few snaps from the first sneak peek of "Da Gullah American Revolutionary Experience expo" on July 2nd. We do so hope to see some of you South of the Broad River folks at Christ Lutheran Church on Hilton Head for the second and final sneak peek on Wednesday.

July 8 - Sydney and Cassi have caught up on all the "New (and New to us) Materials" that have arrived in the BDC between April 1 and June 30. Enjoy! Expect the next update by mid-October.

July 9 - AM - "Black History Note:" Today's your last chance for a sneak peek of "Da Gullah American Revolutionary Experience" ...

PM - Since it's "National Cow Appreciation Day," here is a sweet photo from our digital Donner Collection. Today's a perfect opportunity to pitch our upcoming "artistic" bovine local history program - "Moo-fort, Mermaids and more" with Cassandra on July 28th, too. We're going to try a late afternoon/early evening local history program slot in hopes that some of the working folks might be able to attend.

July 10 - Sydney highlights some of the "colorful" items on our walls.

July 11 - Another entry in our occasional "Finding Aid Friday" series: An independent historian's research into "The Castle," one of Beaufort District's most interesting historic houses. We also posted photos from our Outreach events at Da Gullah American Revolutionary War sneak peek presentations.

July 13 - Though we have nothing "special" scheduled this week, the BDC's fiscal year 2026 local history programs began on July 2nd with my program about the true-blue friendship of James Monroe and the Marquis de Lafayette. July 28th Cassi will do "Moo-fort"; on Sunday, [yes, a Sunday] August 3rd, the BDC is co-sponsoring a Panel Discussion about plans for a digital history of Fort Fremont with West Point cadets; Ted Panayotoff will help us celebrate National Lighthouse Day; and I'm doing two sessions about the Hurricane of 1893 - all before the end of August hitting 4 of the library's 6 physical branch libraries and 3 off-site locations. The BDC is most definitely on the road again.

July 14 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" I'm sure that you're quite acquainted with today's featured image "Emancipation Day in South Carolina -- The Color-Sergeant of the 1st South Carolina (colored) Volunteers Addressing the Regiment; after having been presented with the stars and stripes at Smith's Plantation, Port Royal Island, January 1" published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper on January 24, 1863. Nevertheless, the BDC is the only library within the SCLENDS consortium to have an original copy of page 276 listed in the catalog. It is SC PRINT #160 in our holdings.

In this case, the "color" in honor of the 2025 Summer Reading Program theme refers to the United States flag.

Colonel T.W. Higginson was presented with the colors during the Emancipation Day ceremony at Camp Saxton. In his diary entry for January 1, 1863 he writes "I spoke, receiving the flags & then gave them into the hands of two noble looking black men, as color-guard, & they also spoke, very effectively, Prince Rivers & Robert Sutton." We have a copy of The Complete Civil War Journal and Selected Letters of Thomas Wentworth Higginson edited by Christopher Looby (2000) in the Research Room is you'd like to read more about Higginson's comments on the day's festivities.

July 15 - Lots of folks enjoy looking at coffee-table books. We have some suggestions for you about local history related ones in Connections.

July 16 - 10 AM - "Black History Note:" Carolina Gold, the celebrated variety of rice established in the South Carolina Lowcountry, was integral to the local economy for nearly two hundred years. However, the labor required to produce it encouraged the establishment of, and sustained, slavery with profound consequences on the lives of thousands upon thousands of Africans and their descendants even as the product put gold into their owner's pockets. The author Richard Schulze reintroduced this crop in South Carolina after nearly a century's absence. Drawing on both historical research and personal experience, Schulze reveals the legacy of this once-forgotten Lowcountry icon.

July 16 - 7 PM - In honor of National Snake Day, I thought that I'd share this wonderful image by Julian Dimock of Dr. Francis E. Wilder (1837-1924) holding a rattlesnake. If you check out a copy of Camera Man's Journey from one of the Library system's local history sections, you can see him defang said rattlesnake. There are plenty of copies of this book of turn-of-the-20th century photographs taken in Beaufort, Hilton Head and Columbia to borrow from the Library.

July 17 - Learn how a teenager helped color the world with blue, indigo blue.

July 20 - Cue the theme from Jaws [John Williams' great soundtrack is on Hoopla] - and read these books about our local sharks to celebrate(?) Shark Week 2025!! You can also make plans to attend the Fort Fremont Digital history project panel discussion in two weeks.

July 21 - "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday" that "Colors Our World" with History: Indigo in America is a short booklet that published by the Charles Towne Landing Foundation in 1998. Though short, it offers substantial information on the history of indigo, its cultivation process, and its overall impact on the world. Although this title focuses on indigo in America, it is important to remember that its earliest usage dates back thousands of years ago to India; and though indigo was grown and processed in America, much of the final product was exported to England. The BDC is the only SCLENDS library to have a copy of this booklet.

July 22 - We're sharing a Blast from the Past on this National Hot Dog Day! Sydney found this ad in the June 30, 1960 issue of the Beaufort Gazette. I don't think that I'd like olives on a hot dog seeing as how I'm a mustard and slaw sort of woman. Sydney adds a touch of horseradish and raw onions to hers. Cassi is more of a mustard, sauerkraut and French's crunchy onions kind of woman. Which makes us wonder: What are your hot dog condiments of choice? [BTW: We got 2 FB comments to this one.]

July 23 - "Black History Note" in SRP 2025 "Color Our World": Peter H. Wood wrote a groundbreaking thesis in 1972 that was turned into a monograph in 1975 entitled Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion. It has remained in print ever since. Wood explored the consequences of importing the largest single group of non-English-speaking migrants to the North American colonies on United States history through a thorough and penetrating case study of the Palmetto State during the period. He ends it with the Stono Rebellion of 1739 and its aftermath. The BDC has a copy but there are also plenty of copies that you can check out through the SCLENDS consortium.

July 24 - 10 AM - Having a dedicated Library Specialist means that Cassandra investigated "arsenic green" as a BDC contribution to the Library system's "Color Our World" Summer Reading Program - and as you will read, it turned out to be an eye-opening investigation with implications to the every day operations of the BDC going forward. Enjoy - but be sure to wash your hands afterwards!

July 24 - 7 PM - 2 weeks to the Author Book Talk with Ted Panayotoff!

July 25 - Today's "Finding Aid Friday" is in honor of our next local history program. Some of the "Cows on Vacation" images will be featured in Cassi's presentation about the colorful local public art projects of the past 20 or so years.

July 26 - Pictorial Works can "Color Our World" with history. As a cultural heritage organization, the BDC is in it for the long haul - and school annuals and church directories are part of our strategy to support present and future researchers.

July 27 - This Week in the BDC: Cassandra presents "Moo-fort, Mermaids, and More" a look back at the public arts projects here in the past 25 years on Monday evening. The end of Summer Reading happens on Thursday. Be sure to finalize your reading and get your gameboards turned in as directed.

[The presentation grew from a Connections post I assigned her to write about the colorful art projects.]

July 28 - [Uniquely BDC series] Though most folks probably don't think much about this, cultural heritage organizations such as the BDC have to gather some highly selective materials each year about community "stuff" going on at the time. As you will learn in more detail, the BDC has collected information, posters, photographs, etc. about some of the local public art projects of the 21st century that Cassandra will highlight in her program this evening as our 2nd local history program to "Color Our World." It's rather mind-boggling how fast sources about popular projects at the time get lost and removed from media platforms.

July 29 - White Servitude in Colonial South Carolina by Warren B. Smith (USC Press, 1960) examines a significant portion of the colony's overall population and a powerful element in the settlement of the province between 1730 and 1765. Most of the white servants covered in this book had bound themselves for periods of 2 to 4 years to cover the cost of the sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. A few were criminals who were to serve their prison terms working in the colony. Some were political prisoners from Scotland. The appendices are important for understanding the law and impact of white servitude in South Carolina: Appendix I is "An Act for the Better Governing and Regulating White Servants" (1717); Appendix II is "An Act for the Better Governing and Regulating White Servants, and to Repeal" Act of 1717; Appendix III covers "Statistics on Population, Importation of Nego Slaves and Exportation of Rice;" and Appendix IV is a "Complete List of White Servants Appearing as Items in the Wills and Inventories Recorded in Probate Court of Charleston County".

Another potential source for the identification of indentured (white) servants is First Settlers of South Carolina, 1670-1700 by Agnes Leland Baldwin (1985).

Both books are available in the BDC Research Room: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468.

July 30 - "Black History Note:" Ben Tillman & The Reconstruction of White Supremacy by Stephen Kantrowitz (2000) discusses the roll-back of Reconstruction Era civil rights for African-Americans that had a profound and lasting effect on the course of history in the Palmetto State thereafter. This book traces the history of white male supremacy and its discontents from the era of plantation slavery to the age of Jim Crow. Friend and foe alike and generations of historians interpreted Tillman's physical and rhetorical violence in defense of white supremacy as a matter of racial and gender instinct but the author says that there is more to the story. He reveals how Tillman's white supremacy was a political program and social argument whose legacies continue to shape American life.

July 31 - [Red Letter Local History Day] Serious talk of separating the Southern states from the Federal government began years before the actual break. Reiterating thoughts first introduced to his constituents from the Walterboro courthouse steps in June 1828, impassioned Robert Barnwell Rhett found a receptive audience at a homecoming dinner held in his honor at Bluffton on July 31, 1844. It is said that 500 people showed up to hear his speech under an oak tree about limiting Federal powers: "If you value your rights you must resist." Others, called Fire-Eaters, echoed the call in the coming years. Many see this speech as the start of the "Bluffton Movement," a critical point towards the secession of the Southern states in 1860 - 1861.

PS: I included a reminder about the end of Summer Reading 2025.