Interested in Industry?

Indigo, rice, sea island cotton, phosphate, oysters, shrimp, and timber are just a few of the economic endeavors of the Historic Beaufort District. The military presence, shipping industry, and tourism also make their mark in the history of this economically diverse area of South Carolina. Regardless of your specific economic/industrial topic, the Beaufort District Collection is the place to start your research! Whether you are compiling information for formal research or just to satisfy your personal historical curiosity, the BDC can help.

Wondering where to start? The following resources are available at the BDC:

General Economic History Books

This list is a starter guide for researchers. If you are looking for a particular industry (such as cotton, rice, seafood, or military, among many others) we have a variety of materials designed to suit your topic! See what we have, visit our Online Catalog.

330.973 GAL V1 (& V2). Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History edited by Thomas Carson
This title is only available in the Reference section @ the Beaufort Branch.

330.9757 COC The Shadow of a Dream: Economic Life and Death in the South Carolina Low Country, 1670-1920 by Peter A. Coclanis
This title is also available through the Bluffton Branch!

975.7 EDG. South Carolina: A History by Walter Edgar
This title is available @ Beaufort Branch, Bluffton Branch, Hilton Head Island Branch, and Lobeco Branch!

975.799 ROW V1. The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina, Volume 1: 1514-1861 by Lawrence S. Rowland, Alexander Moore, and George C. Rogers, Jr.
This title is available through all branch libraries!

975.799 TAY. Historic Beaufort County: An Illustrated History by Michael C. Taylor
This title is available through all branch libraries!

Vertical Files

Agriculture
Banks
Beaufort—City—Annual Reports
Beaufort—County – Statistics
Blue Channel Corporation
Bridges (and subheadings)
Census (various dates)
Cotton
Development Issues
Distilling, Illicit
Drug Traffic
Ferries
Fires (various dates)
Fishing
Fripp Island—Legislation
Indigo
Industry
Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort
Marine Corps Recruit Depot
Merchants
Migrant Workers
Mines and Mineral Resources
Motion Pictures
Oysters
Phosphate Mines and Mining
Plantations
Port Royal Railroad Company
Primate -- Research
Real Estate Companies
Rice
Seafood Industry
Shipping
Shrimp
Tenneco Plant
Tomatoes
Tourism
Waddell Mariculture Center
Water Supply

Newspapers on Microfilm

In addition to having today’s local newspapers available, we also have microfilmed copies of local papers starting from 1864! View our list of available microfilmed newspapers.

Other Microfilm Resources

MICROCOPY 2: United States Census. Original Agriculture, Industry, Social Statistics, and Mortality Schedules for South Carolina, 1850-1880

MICROCOPY 13: South Carolina Reports and Resolutions, 1868-1900: With a Finding Aid to Reports and Resolutions, 1784-1900

MICROCOPY 17: Petitions to the General Assembly

*Remember that materials located in the BDC are not available for checkout. These materials will always be available to local history researchers! BDC hours are M – F: 10 AM – 5 PM.The Beaufort District Collection is a division of the Beaufort County Library, a department of Beaufort County Government of South Carolina.