As is my established practice, events that have taken place are omitted. Sydney contributed some of the Revealing the Revolution related Facebook posts during June - and there were a lot of Revealing the Revolution in June. - gmc
Because of how the first of June fell on a Monday, I decided to post the Monthly overview on Sunday night.
May 31 - PM - Monthly Overview of June 2026: The Library system begins its Summer Reading Program which features dinosaurs and archaeology tomorrow. The BDC doesn't have much about dinosaurs but we do have a lot of archaeological reports you'll read about soon. BDC staff will be out and about promoting our project with the Beaufort County Historical Society "Revealing the Revolution" at 7 locations and one community event between June 1 - June 10. We host the Wright-Campbell cadre from HBCUs on June 11. The Library will be closed on June 19 for Juneteenth. I'll talk about colonial period British resources in the Research Room on the evening of June 22 at Beaufort Branch. One cannot talk about the colonial period in SC without acknowledging the role the Caribbean had on its history so expect to see some references to Caribbean-American Heritage Month here. The BDC crew will orient new Library employees to the system's special local history collection and archives unit on June 24. On June 27, we'll be at Bluffton Branch to conduct the trivia contest on their Liberty & Legacy Day - with a rinse and repeat (of sorts) for Beaufort Branch's Liberty & Legacy Day on July 1. (I'll finally get to use the inauthentic colonial outfit I bought for Halloween at work! Yes!!)
June 1 - PM - Independence (Mon)Day - One of my favorite Archaeology Month posters is the one from 2003: "Rediscovering the American Revolution in South Carolina, 1775-1782." There's a lot of the expected red, white and blue graphics but one is drawn to the yellow "Don't Tread on Me" emblem, portraits of key military figures, maps and illustrations of some battles, and flags. Though the verso features archaeological work done at Camden, Ninety-Six Historic Site, and Fort Moultrie, the introduction "The Revolutionary War in South Carolina" by Carl P. Borick includes several paragraphs about what happened in Beaufort District. You can of course come visit the Research Room to see SC POSTER 35 for yourself. Give us a heads up just to make sure someone will be here to assist you: bdc@bgov.net ; 843-255-6468. If you'd like to access the poster online, you can see a copy (and download a PDF) in USC's Scholar Commons.
June 2 - AM - Thanks to Bluffton Today for highlighting our "Revealing the Revolution" challenge! There's still time for you to participate too. "It's fun! It's free!! It's all about history!!!"
June 2 - PM - Speaking of archaeology and rediscovery, a SCLENDS catalog search reminded me that sometimes the posters in the BDC's poster collection were created by me for BDC local history programs marketing.
For example SC POSTER 146 is for a series of four programs about the "South Carolina Caribbean Connection" in October 2006 (SC's Archaeology Month). Beaufort County Planning Department's Ian Hill, the Historic Beaufort Foundation's Elizabeth Garrett, Dr. Wise over at Parris Island Museum and I teamed up to co-sponsor Dr. Bryan Howard's lecture about "The South Carolina Caribbean Connection during the American Revolution;" Dr. Larry Rowland spoke about "The Origin of Sea Island Cotton;" architectural historian Colin Brooker spoke about his research on "The Southern Diaspora: Loyalist Planters and their Slaves in the Bahamas, 1780 - 1835;" and we concluded the series with Ervena Faulkner discussing "Food as a Cultural Connector" and a taste-testing at the Arsenal.
It was a good series in the years that Ian Hill and I collaborated on for Archaeology Month. I just wish that I had included the year in the text on the poster. I used the backfiles of Connections to confirm the year. BTW: The BDC definitely adds the year in all our "stuff" as it minimizes research time in preparation for getting posters cataloged.
June 3 - "Black History Note Wednesday" - One of my favorite books on the topic of Black history in South Carolina is Yes, Lord, I Know the Road by former USCB Professor Dr. J. Brent Morris (USC Press, 2017). The archivist in me loves documents; the librarian in me loves the breadth and scope of his comprehensive 500 year survey of the African-American experience in this state. Since we have been emphasizing all things American Revolution as part of the Library's "Relive the Revolution" project recently, chapters 1 - 3 of this book has documents from colonial times through the Revolutionary War period. The Library has lots of copies the title to share with you.
BTW: I get 4 points for this choice because it is about Black history, archaeology, archives and relates to the American Revolutionary period.
June 4 - AM - At our local history program last week, Dr. Moore explored Juan Pardo and his expeditions into the hinterland. We have a list of suggestions on how you can learn more about "The Spanish Legacy in Beaufort District History" and dig deeper into this area's 16th century history.
June 4 - PM - "It's fun! It's free!! It's all about history!!!" Join the "Revealing the Revolution" Challenge brought to you by the BDC, Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee. Earn fabulous limited-edition prizes ... while supplies last. The challenge ends July 2.
June 5 - Finding Aid Friday - In honor of the anniversary of the establishment of St. Helena Parish on June 7, 1712 by the colonial Assembly, today's featured archival collection is St. Helena Episcopal Church Collection Circa 1912 – 1994. It documents the church's history through pamphlets and materials from the 20th century collected by library staff.
June 6 - I'm going to be at USCB's "South Carolina and the Road to Independence" this afternoon promoting the BDC, BCHS, BC250's "Revealing the Revolution" challenge. But since it just so happens to be National Trails Day, you may like to learn about some of the trails related materials we share through the BDC Research Room.
June 7 - "This Week in the BDC:" We are looking forward to hosting the 2026 cadre of the Wright-Campbell Internship Program for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities on Thursday. We'll talk about our Gullah related collections and give them a behind-the-scenes tour of our archives.
June 8 - Independence (Mon)Day: Jonathan Mercantini researched the question "Who shall rule at home?" to find the roots of South Carolinian rebellion against British authority during the American Revolution in the evolution of the political culture of the colony's elite. He argues that in a series of constitutional and political conflicts between 1748 and 1776, South Carolinians zealously fought to protect and expand their political rights and privileges against outside imperial control, viewing them as inalienable rights akin to the "rights of Englishmen." They fought for these rights and privileges, centering on local control of elections, representation, finances, and taxation, with a politics of brinksmanship that saw such conflicts as a zero-sum game and provided the grounding for the eventual independence bid.
June 9 - Have you been to one of the Library's "Revolutionary Roots" sessions yet? Or do you plan to go later this month? Keep in mind that the BDC has some specific Revolutionary War era genealogy sources that might help - if your ancestor was in South Carolina back then. We can help you "Unearth a Story" about your Patriot or Loyalist ancestor. Read more in Connections.
June 10 - AM - "Black History Note:" Chapter 3 "Carolina's African American Majority" of Uncommon Ground : Archaeology and Early African America, 1650-1800 by Leland Ferguson (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992) concentrates on archaeological and historical evidence of African-style, clay-walled houses for the enslaved on some lowcountry plantations around the time of the War for Independence. Gen. Francis Marion wrote a letter to Gen. Nathanael Greene that Gen. Thomas Sumter reported he "Determined to Attack the Enemy posted in houses with Clay Walls which was very Difficult to penetrate without a field piece." It seems that the British had taken cover inside some of the enslaved persons' homes on Quinby Plantation. Clay-walled houses have several advantages: Readily available materials nearby to quickly build or rebuild the structure as needed; and comfortable in hot climates - and an advantage of defense in case someone - in this case a Patriot - decided to shoot at you with a gun. Roll up the cannons, men!
The BDC has a copy of this title but so do many of the SCLENDS libraries. This means you can come read ours or simply borrow a copy from another unit with your library card.
BTW: I get triple points for this choice because it is about Black history, archaeology and relates to the American Revolutionary period.
June 10 - PM - Looking for a fun way to get out and about this summer? Check out the Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee! Please be aware of your surroundings as some of the markers may be near busy streets.
Today, we visited the Beaufort Arsenal marker located at 713 Craven Street. The marker is right on the sidewalk with street parking available nearby, or less than a minute away is the Beaufort County Library where you could park and also check out the Library Quest!
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning limited edition prizes; including a car sticker, a commemorative coin, and an entry into a grand prize drawing for a framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
Visit your closest library branch to pick up your brochure today!
P.S. There is even a mini scavenger hunt inside of the branches if you prefer to stay in the A.C!
June 11 - First American Victory of the British Southern Campaign, February 3, 1779 Battle of Beaufort (38BU22336), Beaufort County, South Carolina is an archaeological study of a Revolutionary War engagement (also known as the Battle of Port Royal Island or the Battle of Gray's Hill) written by Daniel Battle and his wife, Daphne Owens Battle. Daniel Battle also gave us a framed print of the painting "In the Glorious Cause of Liberty" by Jeff Trexler that he commissioned about the Battle of Beaufort to hang in our Research Room.
June 12 - Finding Aid Friday: In honor of National Movie Night, we highlight the Paul Siegmund Collection a small archival collection that documents the World Premiere of Pat Conroy’s the "Great Santini" movie held at the Beaufort Plaza Twin Theatres on 19 October 1979.
June 13 - Bluffton Branch's Angie Brown pulled out all the stops with the "Revealing the Revolution" table she designed. (Thanks, Angie). Don't delay, pick up your game sheet and play - today! "It's fun! It's free!! It's all about history!!!" This challenge brought to you by the BDC, Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee ends on July 2.
June 14 - Happy Flag Day! The delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress decided on June 14, 1777 to select and standardize a flag to indicate the new nation. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson commemorated that decision by declaring June 14th of each year "Flag Day."
An interesting (to me, at least) historical fact : There have been 27 official versions of the United States stars-and-stripes flag since 1777.
June 15 - AM - Independence (Mon)Day - The Library is highlighting memoirs this month. We have General William Moultrie's Memoirs of the American Revolution as a reprint of 2 volumes first published in 1802. It contains personal anecdotes, first-hand observations, and an extensive collection of letters between civil and military officers, including some about the battles of Port Royal Island and Purisburgh, the spiking of the guns at Fort Lyttelton, and the occupation of Beaufort by the British. There's a lot about what's going on in other parts of the lowcountry too.
In addition to our Research Room copy, you can borrow the title from other members libraries in the SCLENDS consortium. Or you can access a digital copy of the original texts through Archive.org.
June 16 - Looking for a fun way to get out and about this summer? Check out the Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee! Please stay aware of your surroundings as you explore Beaufort District's American Revolutionary history.
Today, we visited the St. Helena's Church marker which is located at 505 Church Street. Be sure to check the other side of the marker to learn what the British forces used the church for.
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning limited edition prizes; including a car sticker, a commemorative coin, and an entry into a grand prize drawing for a framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
Visit your closest library branch to pick up your brochure today!
P.S. There is even a mini scavenger hunt inside of the branches if you prefer to stay in the A.C!
June 17 - "Black History Note:" One cannot fully comprehend the European colonial experience in the Americas without understanding its African counterpart. "I, Too, Am America": Archaeological Studies of African-America Life edited by Theresa A. Singleton (University Press of Virginia, 1999) addresses this challenge. It is an anthology of articles written by skilled archaeologists who "study the distinctive character of the African presence, the level and domains of cultural autonomy and creativity, the degree of suppression and censorship, the forgotten or unacknowledged sources of the colonial life that seek to explain the character and presence of Africanisms."
This title is a "uniquely BDC" one. Come "unearth a story" about the vestiges of African culture in the United States. It's a good idea to contact us before you arrive at our door to make certain a staff member is available to assist you: 843-255-6468; bdc@bcgov.net
June 18 - Marine archaeology is done in this area on a fairly regular basis on account of all the shipwrecks through the years. Poster #210 is our copy of the 2012 SC Archaeology Month poster. You'll notice references to Port Royal Sound, the Floating Machine Shop at Station Creek, and the USS George Washington - all of which relate to Civil War era Beaufort District. You can download your own copy from the University of South Carolina's Scholar Commons website.
June 20 - Looking for a fun way to get out and about this summer? Check out the Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee!
Today, we visited the Beaufort County historical marker located at the West entrance to the Beaufort Waterfront Park (near the Marina). Visit this marker to learn what year the British occupation of Beaufort began!
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning limited edition prizes; including a car sticker, a commemorative coin, and an entry into a grand prize drawing for a framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
Visit your closest library branch to pick up your brochure today!
P.S. There is even a mini scavenger hunt inside of the branches if you prefer to stay in the A.C.
June 21 - "This Week in the BDC:" We're quite busy being out and about. Tomorrow evening, I present "Brits in the BDC." On Wednesday afternoon, we host the latest group of new Library employees. On Saturday, we'll be running a trivia contest about the American Revolution at Bluffton Branch as part of their "Liberty & Legacy" celebration. (Tip: If you've read this page, attended a BDC local history program about the War for Independence in the past, and/or participated in the Revealing the Revolution Challenge, you'll be in a solid position to do well in the Trivia sessions.)
June 22 - Independence (Mon)Day - The best yet most concise discussion of "Beaufort and the British During the Era of the American Revolution" was made by historian Robert M. Weir before the Beaufort County Historical Society on May 18, 1976. Fortunately, we have a transcript in the Research Room for any who would like to read it. He writes about Beaufort's role in the creation of reason 4 for independence (viz., He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures); key local events and personnel such as Lafayette, Andrew DeVeaux, etc.; naval considerations related to St. Helena Sound; and demographic information about the area from 1770 - 1790.
This is one of the "uniquely BDC" items so please contact us to make an appointment to read the 18 page document: bdc@bcgov.net; 843-255-6468.
It's crunch time. Get out there to explore the history of the American Revolution in Beaufort District via our "Revealing the Revolution" historic marker challenge with the Beaufort County Historical Society.
June 23 - AM - Looking for a fun summer activity but wish to stay in the cool A.C.? Check out the Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Library Quest brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee; available at all branches and bookmobiles in the Beaufort County Library System!
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning a limited edition car sticker. Search for five historical marker placards hidden among the stacks of the library that contain the answers to the questions inside of your brochure.
Visit any library branch or bookmobile to pick up your brochure and begin your quest today!
June 23 - PM - Breaking News!!! We have decided to extend the deadline for the Library Quest and Historic Marker challenges until July 31. But here's the rub: If you want to get entered for the Grand Prize drawing, you must return that game sheet by July 2nd. Please note: Those who turn in completed game sheets July 3 - 31 will be eligible only for the car sticker and challenge coin prizes.
June 24 - "Black History Note:" In the antebellum South Back of the Big House (1993) there existed a different world, socially and architecturally, where slaves lived and worked. Professor of American Studies and Anthropology John Michael Vlach explores the structures and spaces that formed the slaves' environment. Through photographs and the words of former slaves, he portrays the plantation landscape from the slaves' own point of view. Read this book to "unearth a story" of how the enslaved imbued the plantation landscape with their own meanings and acts of slave resistance to become a locus for the formation of a distinctive African American culture in the South.
June 25 - Looking for a fun way to get out and about this summer? Check out the Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufo#revealingtherevolution2026! Please take care and mind your surroundings as you participate. Some of the markers are along busy roads.
Today, we visited the Lafayette's Tour marker located at 801 Bay Street, also known as the John Mark Verdier House. Check out the marker to learn when General Lafayette visited Beaufort.
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning limited edition prizes; including a car sticker, a commemorative coin, and an entry into a grand prize drawing for a framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
Visit your closest library branch to pick up your brochure today!
P.S. There is even a mini scavenger hunt inside of the branches if you prefer to stay in the A.C! #RevealingtheRevolution2026
June 26 - Update on the Online Obituary Index: Our OOI indexer Kathy Mitchell finished adding another 1518 published obituary records from the Beaufort Catalyst, Beaufort Gazette, and Island Packet newspapers for the year 2000. The project will end when we run out of newspaper issues on microfilm on 31 March 2015.
June 28 - This Week in the BDC: We are doing a rinse-and-repeat of the BDC designed Revolutionary Trivia session at 11:30 AM on Wednesday at Beaufort Branch. You may see a famous American if you come an hour earlier as Ben Franklin will be in the house.
Reminders: Though our Revealing the Revolution Challenge with the BCHS and the Beaufort County 250th Committee has been extended until July 31, if you want to be entered into our Grand Prize drawing you must return your 15-item completed game sheet on or before July 2. Be safe as you go about our roadways and sidewalks in search of the historic markers.
The Beaufort County Library will be closed Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 for the holidays.
June 29 - "Independence (Mon)Day" - The Jasper County 250 Committee recently sponsored an archaeological investigation of Old House Plantation, 2,115 acres rice plantation established by Daniel Heyward, father of Beaufort District's Signer of the Declaration, Thomas Heyward, Jr. in 1743. This study included the role of persons of African-American descent in the war as well as support and promotion of research and cultural heritage tourism by telling SC's stories from varying points of view.
As of this writing, the BDC is the only library in the SCLENDS consortium to have a copy of Rice, Rebellion, and Revelations : 2024 Archaeology at the Old House Plantation by Rita Folse Elliott, 2025.
You've got only a few days left to be eligible for the "Revealing the Revolution" Grand Prize. Don't delay, participate today. Game sheets are available at all library locations. Please note: Game sheets returned July 3 - 31 are eligible for the limited-edition car stickers and challenge coins - while supplies last.
June 30 - AM - Still looking for a fun summer activity to get your family out and about? Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt brought to you by the BDC, the Beaufort County Historical Society and the Beaufort County 250th Committee is the perfect activity- but if you want a chance at that framed (reproduction) Mills Atlas Beaufort District map, these are the final days for you to enter! If you are pressed to get in those last few markers, Downtown Beaufort is the place to go!
Today, we visited the Beaufort Tricentennial Plaque 4 marker located at Beaufort's Waterfront Park. The marker is behind both Saltus River Grille and the waterfront playground and is located at ground level.
Learn more about Beaufort District's vital role in the Revolutionary War while working your way to earning limited edition prizes; including a car sticker, a commemorative coin, and an entry into a grand prize drawing for a framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
Visit your closest library branch to pick up your brochure today!
P.S. There is even a mini scavenger hunt inside of the branches if you prefer to stay in the A.C! #RevealingtheRevolution2026
June 30, 2026 - PM - I barely made it to my self-imposed deadline to highlight a murder trial, an investigation into a suicide, and the trials of Beaufort County Treasurer, George Holmes and the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners from 150 years ago on Connections before this month's end. June 1876 was a month full of sensational events in Beaufort County that got well covered in state and national newspapers.
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