New (and New to Us) in the BDC - Library Materials, 1 July 2024 - 31 March 2025 by Sydney Whiteside

After a long hiatus, the Beaufort District Collection is back with an enormous update on our new (and new to us) materials! Over the past nine months, our collection has accumulated a plethora of new materials in a multitude of ways, including through purchase, donation or re-discovery. Today, I will be covering all of our newly catalogued items that have been integrated into our collection spanning from July 2024 to March 2025.

As soon as a patron walks into the research room, they are met with two wooden bookshelves where we showcase our new materials. Once a new material is selected by Grace, catalogued by Tech Services and returned to the BDC, I am then able to replace an item on the shelf. Whether a material is one physical volume or five items total, I tend to do a little reorganizing of the New Materials shelves for an updated look. One of my favorite parts of this job is the freedom of design that I am granted when it comes to configuring the “New to Us” shelves, the display case, and even flyers and advertisements. In the past year, these shelves have lived many lives, and I am here today to walk you through all of those lives! So, let's dig in to all things new (and new to us)in the Beaufort District Collection

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South Carolina’s Civil War: A Narrative History by W. Scott Poole (2005) is an overview of the cultural and socio-economic effects that the Civil War had on South Carolina. Poole centers on both Black and white South Carolinian figures of the time and tells the true story of how slaves became free despite the State's choosing Secession.  

Facing Sherman in South Carolina: March Through the Swamps by Christopher G. Crabb (2010) takes the reader on Major General William T. Sherman's ambitious march from Savannah, GA to Columbia, SC, focusing mostly on his veteran’s serpentine struggle through the southern swamps. 

Shrimp, Collards & Grits: Recipes, Stories and Art from the Creeks and Gardens of the Lowcountry by Patricia Branning (2014) is a compilation of tasty recipes, interesting stories, and acclaimed artwork (including the cover piece) created by artist Ray Ellis. 

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control by James H. Miller (2003-2007) is an identification guide that covers nonnative invasive plants that are quickly invading forests located in all thirteen southern states.  

The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights by Dorothy Wickenden (2021) follows three revolutionary women: Harriet Tubman, Frances Seward, and Martha Wright. Each of these women put their lives on the line to fight their rights in a time when their country refused to listen. 

When the Southern Lights Went Dark: The Lighthouse Establishment during the Civil War by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candace Clifford (2023). In 1861, the Confederacy extinguished all of the lighthouses in the South as a defense against Union troops. This is the story of the brave men who quite literally brought light back to America in one of its darkest eras.  

Fripp Island Fare is a book of recipes from locals of Fripp Island compiled by Ginny Hucks, et al. (1975). With sketches from Dantan Sawyer and local legends spread throughout the book, readers are bound to find a delicious recipe they’re tempted to try.  

The Beaufort Cook Book: A Treasury of Carolina Recipes by Dee Hryharrow and Isabel M. Hoogenboom (1965) is a collection of delicious recipes that range from soups to seafoods, to pickles and pies. Whatever you may be craving, you are bound to find a southern delicacy in this particular cookbook. 

Letters and Diary of Laura M. Towne: written from the Sea Islands of South Carolina, 1862-1884 reprinted and edited by Rupert Sargent Holland (2014) is a compilation of letters and diary entries written by American abolitionist and educator, Laura Matilda Towne (who founded the Penn School), as she describes the southern scene of the Civil War and Reconstruction. 

Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club: Yearbook 1984 is more than just a yearbook. It includes a written history of the Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club as well as current and past leadership. The BDC has a collection of over 50 yearbooks from different schools, clubs, and departments from all over Beaufort District! 

Growing Up in Paradise – Beaufort: Reflections from Living on The Point for 94 Years by Therese "Ting" Sams Colquhoun (2024). Through a collection of short stories, Colquhoun narrates her experience of growing up and living in the Lowcountry. 

Life on St. Helena Island by Isabella C. Glen (1980) is a short assemblage of Glen’s experiences growing up on St. Helena with all of her good, bad, and supernatural encounters on the island. 

Gullah/Geechee Blessing pun de Sea by Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine, Chiefess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (2023), is a special item in our collection as it is the first of our materials to contain A.I. [artificial intelligence] generated artwork. Queen Quet takes the reader on a spiritual journey through the lands of the Lowcountry in the lands native Gullah/Geechee language.  

Colleton River Plantation: Simply . . . Exceptional: Favorite Recipes by Morris Press Cookbooks (2009) is a collection of recipes from the Colleton River Plantation that ranges from lunch to dinner, from sides to sweets. 

Hilton Head Entertains: Revised Edition with Nutritional Profiles by Hilton Head Preparatory School & Nancy Pruitt, Ed. (1991). This is a collection of recipes inside of fun menu titles such as: Open Title, Fairway Fun Open House, Garden of Eden Lunch, and Serendipity at Sunset. 

Captain Claghorn of the Chatham Artillery of Savannah by Ruth Saffold de Treville (1978) is the story of Captain Joseph Samuel Claghorn who created a new life for his family in Savannah, Georgia. The BDC contains a special edition of this title as our copy has a handwritten letter by the author to her family on the second page. The author was a long-time Beaufort resident.   

Freedom's Tears: The History of the Civil War in Charleston, South Carolina, & Port Royal Sound by Josie Olsvig (2024) is historical fiction by a recently relocated to Beaufort author. It recounts the events of the Civil War from the perspective of Lowcountry locals that went from being under Confederate control to Union liberation. 

Prints in the Sand: The U.S. Coast Guard Beach Patrol During World War II by Eleanor C. Bishop (1989) tells the true story of an interesting but little known aspect of the Second World War. The U. S. Coast Guard Beach Patrol consisted of thousands of men as well as dogs and horses, resulting in some of them receiving the peculiar title of "sailors on horseback".  Camp McDougall on Hilton Head Island was one such base of operations.

Church Yard: The Baptist Church of Beaufort 1794-2023 from The Baptist Church of Beaufort (2023) provides a history of the Baptist Church of Beaufort as well as a list of its early leaders, pastors, epitaphs, and maps of the churchyard. 

Downrange at Gardez: Forward Operating Base Lightning by SFC Gerald L. Wynn (2024) is a raw and intense firsthand account of Sergeant First Class Wynn's experiences in Afghanistan. A native Beaufortonian, Wynn walks the reader through his very real and very vigorous life from October 2007 to May 2008.  

Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation by Bennett Parten (2025) is a new take on the well-known narrative of Sherman’s March. From the perspective of the thousands of enslaved people involved, readers learn how monumental they were in bringing an end to the Civil War and how this could not have been accomplished without them. [You may recall that Dr. Parten gave an "Historically Speaking" talk about his book in December 2024.]

To Rescue from Oblivion: Solving the Mystery of the Olustee Union Dead by Don Hillhouse (2024) seeks to solve the unknown status of the remains of 125 Union Soldiers scattered on the Olustee Battlefield in Baker County, Florida. Newly rediscovered documents found in the National Archives about the dead Union soldiers prompted Hillhouse to further investigate what happened to their remains. He explains how the Olustee battlefield connects to the broader national cemetery system. 

African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals by David Hackett Fischer (2022) combines research from western Africa with that of America to demonstrate how prominent African influence was in the creation of our country. Fischer's thesis is that the interactions of enslaved people from various parts of Africa with European colonists shaped America and its cultures within the ever-developing country.  

Unfree Markets: The Slaves' Economy and the rise of Capitalism in South Carolina by Justene Hill Edwards (2021) brings an important awareness to the link between the success of South Carolina’s economic growth and the exploitation of enslaved people.  

The Battle of Fort Scarlet: "A Strange, Compelling Story in a Forgotten War" by Jon Bebbington (2023) is an alternative history novel that tells the story of the made-up place, Fort Scarlet, and a made-up battle there. Just to be clear: American soldiers and local Gullah descendants did not have to fend off Spanish Navy raids on the Port Royal region in 1898. Fort Fremont was built to serve as a deterrence but it saw no action during the brief Spanish American War. Grace says that this is the first alternative history title in the BDC holdings.

Old Churchyard Cemetery of St. Helena's Episcopal Church: Beaufort, South Carolina by James and Louise Presgraves (1987) is an overview of St. Helena Episcopal Church’s churchyard cemetery with churchyard memorials and inscriptions, noteworthy anecdotes, a grave site locator and a memorial index. This is a second copy - just so that we can be sure that there is always a copy of this title in the BDC.

Full Moon, High Tide: Tastes and Traditions of the Lowcountry by the Beaufort Academy (2001) is full of the luxuries of the Lowcountry lifestyle. Full Moon, High Tide shares favorite recipes containing island grown crops and fresh caught seafood, all staples in the Lowcountry.  

Correct Mispronunciations of Some South Carolina Names by Claude and Irene Neuffer (1991). Have you ever been puzzled by how to pronounce certain native South Carolinian names? No need to worry, this book has got you covered. This oftentimes humorous compilation of correct mispronunciations will teach you exactly how to blend in with the locals. This too is a revised version of a title we have long had in the BDC.  

South Carolina Obsolete Notes and Scrip: A Comprehensive Listing of State, Broken Bank, Town, City, Railroad Scrip and Other Miscellaneous Notes by Austin M. Sheehan, Jr., (2003). Sheehan spent over 50 years collecting all different types of paper currency in order to learn more about the United States Banking System. He then compiled all of his findings into this one-stop shop source on the history of banking notes in South Carolina. 

Know Your Own State: South Carolina by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (1925) aims to be in informal guide to getting to know South Carolina. This is a very fragile document full of beautiful sketches and maps.  

South Carolina's Revolutionary War Battlefields: A Tour Guide by R.L. Barbour (2002) will direct you to every known location in South Carolina where a battle was fought during the Revolutionary War. Fun fact: South Carolina experienced more Revolutionary War battles than any other state. Check them out today! 

Et Cetera Y'all: A Collection of Newspaper Coulumns, Volume 1 (2024) was written by Annelore Harrell, a former columnist for Carolina Morning News and Bluffton Today. She also has written for the Hilton Head Sun and the Bluffton Sun. It will take some time for Harrell to share twenty-four years' worth of newspaper columns covering her life story. This compilation is but the first of the series she has in mind. [BTW: We'll host the author on May 21 at Beaufort Branch.] 

Santa Elena: A Brief History of the Colony, 1566-1587 by Dr. Eugene Lyon (1984) focuses on the 16th century Spanish colony on Parris Island.

Lowcountry Nature Notes by The Lowcountry Institute (2017) shares the beauty of the Lowcountry through its coastal landscapes and diverse classification of plants and animals. Full of illustrations and histories of local ecology, nature lovers are sure to be intrigued by this title.   

Architectural Practice: The South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects by John M. Bryan (2003) is an aesthetically beautiful book that walks the reader through the evolution of architectural expertise in South Carolina.  

Beautiful Places: The Timeless Beauty of South Carolina State Parks by Chad Prosser (2009) covers the history of all forty-seven state parks in South Carolina. From mountains to beaches, the beauty of the Palmetto state is truly unmatched, and the nearly eight million park visitors would agree.  

Out-of-the-box in Dixie: Cecil Williams' Photography of the South Carolina Events that Changed America by Cecil J. Williams (2007) shows how the 1949 case of Briggs vs. Elliot altered the course of the NAACP’s fight for desegregation and equality in America. His photographs changed enough hearts to impact the course of Civil Rights in the Palmetto State and beyond.   

Moringa: Tree of Life Book 2 Cat Gabbiano Mystery series by Donna Keel Armer (2024) is a fictional story that takes place in the Lowcountry of South Carolina by a resident local author. We also have a copy of the book 1 in the series, The Red Fish.   

A Short History of Hilton Head Island by David B. McCoy (2024) is an updated edition of a title we already have. From shell rings to Gullah heritage, indigo to coastal discoveries, readers are bound to learn something new about the island.  

Gullah Culture: 1670 to 1950 by David B. McCoy (2018) is an updated edition of a title we already have. This revision includes some supplemental information about plantation labors, Gullah language and lifestyle, the Mitchelville experiment, and the future of Gullah communities.  

Community Calendar 1991 from the Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse (1991). A perhaps unexpected media format in the BDC happens to be calendars! They tend to be kept for their informative captions and photography of the Lowcountry.  

In addition to books, discs, calendars, and cassette tapes, we also collect other types of media such as posters, maps, resource directories, and magazines. In the past year, we have accumulated 34 posters, 5 maps, 5 directories, and 2 magazines, viz:  

Posters 

• “The Edges of Day and Night Bring Life to Art” Frank Gorman and Gary Korosi, Beaufort Art Association (2024) 

• “You're Invited! Back to School Bash” (2024) 

• “Lowcountry Children's Book Fair” (2024) 

• “Christmas in July Sale!” The St. Francis Center (2024) 

• “Local Author Alert!” Beaufort Book Store (2024) 

• “September 27-28 | Eighth Annual Lowcountry Book Club Convention” (2024) 

• “Andrew Armstrong: Returns for an Hour of Music and Conversation!” USCB Chamber Music (2024) 

• “Saturday Morning on the Deck with Author and Poet John Doriot” Marshview Mercantile (2024) 

• “Meet New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author Kristin Harmel” Pat Conroy Literary Center and Beaufort Bookstore (2021) 

• “Chili Cook Off & Jeep Island” Kiwani’s Club of Hilton Head Island (2024) 

• “Hilton Head Island Heritage Festival” Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority, Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District, and Lowcountry Stormwater Partners (2024) 

• “Symphony Under the Stars & Country Divas" Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra (2024) 

• “Ninth Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival” Pat Conroy Literary Center (2024) 

• “13th Annual Nativity Celebration” First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort (2024) 

• “Sea Island Gulluh Christmas Celebration” Gulluh Traveling Theater, Inc. (2024) 

• “The Beaufort Symphony Orchestra: Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah!” The Beaufort Symphony Orchestra (2024) 

• “University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Art Upcoming Shows in 2024-2025" USCB Center for the Arts (2024) 

• “Fin Festival Events and Schedule” USCB Center for the Arts (2025) 

• “Walk to End Alzheimer's” Alzheimer's Association (2024) 

• “Tour of Sacred Sites” Berean Presbyterian Church (2014) 

• “Hilton Head Big Band Fall Fling” Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort (2024) 

• “What the Constitution Means to Me” Lean Ensemble Theater (2024) 

• “Art Moves” Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival (2024) 

• “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” Hilton Head Island High School Seahawk Stage Company (2025) 

• “A Gullah Spirituals Concert: Celebrating the Music and Life of Luke Peeples” The Historic Bluffton Foundation (2024) 

• “50th Annual Two-Day Beaufort Charities Festival” The Beaufort Charities (2025) 

• “2025 Books Sandwiched in” Friends of the Beaufort Library (2025) 

• “The Pat Conroy Literary Center's Ninth Annual March Forth” Pat Conroy Literary Center (2025) 

• “An Island of Music” Fripp Island Friends of Music (2024-2025) 

• “Indigo Dyeing with Lydia Beason” Beaufort County Library (2025) 

• “Honky-Tonk Angels: Female Pioneers in Country Music” Beaufort County Library (2025) 

• "Chalk it Up! Beaufort, SC" Freedman Arts District (2025)

Maps 

• Official Map of South Carolina 1912, SC Department of Agriculture (1912) 

• Savannah Historic District, T.M. Reed (1980/1988) 

• Map of Hilton Head, New South Promotions (1985) 

• Hilton Head- Bluffton South Carolina Discovery Map 2024-2025, Discovery Map International, INC (2024) 

• Hilton Head Island Airport Master Plan Update Final Report, Talbert & Bright (2010) 

Directories and Magazines 

• Hargray Beaufort Phone Directory, Hargray (2021-2022) 

• Hargray Is Now Sparklight Beaufort Phone Directory, Sparklight (2024) 

• Beaufort County Seniors Resource Directory: Helpful Information for Aging Adults and Caregivers, Seniors Resource Directory (2024-2025) 

• Hargray Beaufort Phone Directory, Hargray (2022-2023) 

• Beaufort County Seniors Resource Directory: Helpful Information for Boomers and Seniors, Seniors Resource Directory (2018) 

• The South Carolina Historical Magazine: January 2021 Volume 122, Number 1, South Carolina Historical Society (2021)

• The South Carolina Historical Magazine: April 2021 Volume 122, Number 2, South Carolina Historical Society (2021) 

I hope you have enjoyed this lengthy yet illuminating update on all things new (and new to us) in the Beaufort District Collection. Always be sure to stop on by to see what fun, new materials are waiting on our shelves, and be on the look out for our next update in July!

If you are interested in any of the materials I have shared today or wish to explore our collection for yourself: appointments are encouraged, and walk-ins are sometimes accepted. To make an appointment, send an email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468. We hope to hear from you soon!   

Note: Henceforth the plan is to make quarterly updates. Expect the next one to be here in Connections before the end of July 2025. -- gmc