Discover Your Ancestry : Revolutionary Roots Programs and more at Beaufort County Library

The Beaufort County Library, in cooperation with the BDC, Beaufort County Historical Society, the Beaufort County 250th committee and others, will celebrate the quarter-millennial of American democracy from April 1 through July 2 with a mix of activities you can do (mostly) at your own convenience.

Revolutionary Roots Programs

Among those activities are multiple offerings of "Revolutionary Roots," a hands-on Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) program to learn how to trace your lineage, uncover stories about ancestors who lived during the Revolutionary Era, and see how your own family may connect to America's fight for Independence. No prior genealogy experience is required - just curiosity and a love of history! Library staff will be on hand to help you learn the basics. Perhaps you'll find an ancestor or two whose service might make you eligible for a (Continental) Revolutionary War related heritage society. 

Military records are rich with genealogical information that will grown your family tree. Come learn how to get the most out of the ones related to the American Revolution on ALE.

Did you know that you can access the Library's ALE subscription via the public WIFI inside our buildings? For your own convenience, we encourage you to bring your laptop or smart phone with you the day of the session.

Don't have a laptop computer or a smart phone? Not a problem. You can use Library equipment where available - though it's best to ask what will be available at each location in advance of the session. Equipment often varies among the branch libraries.

The "Revolutionary Roots" program will be offered:

• Monday, May 11 at Port Royal Branch, 11 AM - 12:30 PM
• Thursday, May 28 at Hilton Head Island Branch, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
• Tuesday, June 9 at Lobeco Branch, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• Tuesday, June 16 at Beaufort Branch, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Note: Please see the Library calendar entries for each of the above sessions for specific registration requirements at each location.

Can't make any of these dates and times? Not a problem. The BDC can help.

The BDC's Sydney Whiteside offers one-on-one instructional sessions to will show you how to search for your Revolutionary War era ancestors by appointment. Just contact us at bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468 to make the necessary arrangements for a two-hour research slot.

Attendance at any of the "Revolutionary Roots" sessions at the branches or by appointment in the BDC Research Room will earn you a stamp on the Library's Celebrate America 250 passport shown above that is available at all BCL locations and bookmobiles.

You could just stop there ... but wait! There's even more ways for you to celebrate America's 250th birthday at the Library.

Celebrate America 250 Passport

There are 6 optional activities on the Celebrate America 250 passport, but only 4 are necessary to be eligible for a Beaufort County 250th committee sticker. Choose any 4 activities from this list:

• Color a Square for the Library Paper Quilt
• Attend Play Like It's 1776
• Complete the Historic Marker Scavenger Hunt
• Attend Revolutionary Roots
• Add to the Library Time Capsule (submissions will be permanently archived in the BDC Research Room after project ends)
• Attend Liberty and Legacy

Why not "complete the Historic Marker Scavenger Hunt" before or after you "Attend [a] Revolutionary Roots" session? It's easy. Just pick up a "Revealing the Revolution - Library Quest Scavenger Hunt" bi-fold brochure game sheet available at all Library locations, find the "Revealing the Revolution" placards hidden throughout the branch library, and correctly answer the questions on the game sheet. Show the library staff at the service desks your completed game sheet to get another "star stamp" on your passport ... and you're half done to earning a Beaufort County 250th Committee sticker.

If you stick around a few more minutes to "Color a Square for the Library Paper Quilt" or "Add to the Library Time Capsule" with your hope for the future, you can get your Beaufort County 250th Committee sticker from the Library staff as soon as you're done. One visit, 4 activities, passport stamped and prize all in a day. What a deal!

Revealing the Revolution Challenges

To notch up the rewards: Once Library staff have stamped your passport for your participation in the scavenger hunt, return the Scavenger Hunt game sheet (only the Revealing the Revolution game sheet. You can keep the Celebrate 250 passport as a souvenir) to one of the be-starred boxes at the Library location.

BDC staff will get the completed game sheets to the Beaufort County Historical Society on a periodic basis. The BCHS will be distributing prizes via mail over the course of the project. All prizes for the "Revealing the Revolution" challenges are set to be mailed by the end of July as long while supplies last.

As a reminder: The BCL America 250 project ends on Thursday, July 2nd because the Library system will be closed on Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th for Independence Day 2026.

Relive the Revolution with the Beaufort County Library, April 1 - July 2, 2026

Latest update: 23 June 2026 --The deadline for the Library Quest and Historic Marker challenges has been extended to 31 July. Please note: Those who turn in completed game sheets July 3 - 31 will be eligible only for the car sticker and challenge coin prizes. - gmc

When we think of the Revolutionary War, we often conjure up thoughts of Valley Forge and the Crossing of the Delaware, but the American Revolution happened across all 13 colonies. But there are those who have analyzed the evidence to conclude that the American Revolution was won in the South, and more specifically by successful military actions by Patriot forces within South Carolina that led to the entrapment of the British forces at Yorktown and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis's army on October 19, 1781.

Revealing the Revolution (RtR) Marker Challenge : 2 Options

Don’t forget that mischief was afoot in bucolic colonial South Carolina, as well. Over the past several years, the BDC and its partners have been amping up our local history programs related to the American Revolution. And while Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, was creating havoc up toward Charleston, others like Thomas Heyward, Jr. and William Moultrie were making history in Beaufort District.

The BDC staff and the Beaufort County Historical Society (BCHS) have teamed up to offer you the opportunity to explore Beaufort District's Revolutionary War history one historical marker at a time. Beginning April 1, participants simply need to pick up a "Revealing the Revolution Historical Marker" challenge game sheet from any County Branch Library or bookmobile and set out to find the markers listed inside. A QR code on the front of each game sheet provides a Google map of all marker locations. Each marker’s text supplies the answers to questions that must be completed.

• Don't have a library card? Not a problem - though we do hope that every County resident eligible for a free card has one.
• Don't have time to visit one of our Branch Libraries? Not a problem - the deluxe version of our game can also be downloaded and printed from the Beaufort County Historical Society website.

Because the RtR Committee wanted to include as many folks as possible, we planned two levels of participation for you to take part in our challenge:

Option #1: Participants who wish to “tour” the markers from the comfort of a chair can pick up the “Library Quest” bi-fold brochure listing 5 historical markers and then find the placards hidden throughout the Branch Library or bookmobiles. To make it easy to win, the actual marker text will be provided on the placards at each location.

• Answer the questions to receive a stamp on your "Celebrate America 250 Passport" at any Library circulation desk. (More about the "Celebrate America 250 Passport" series under the next heading below).
• Drop your completed "Library Quest" into one of the "Revealing the Revolution" ballot boxes at each library location. Be sure to write legibly.

OR you can get your passport stamped before submitting your completed form online. The BCHS will mail you one car sticker for your participation as long as supplies last. Limit one car sticker per participant. Your participation can be, as they say, "done and dusted" at this level of participation... or ...

Option #2: You can up the ante and play the deluxe version. Option #2 is designed for true-blue, red and white striped, starry-eyed history nerds and heritage tourists. The RtR Committee has chosen 15 historic markers, most funded and maintained by the Beaufort County Historical Society, for you to visit. Each one has an accompanying question to answer correctly in the RtR trifold game sheet that you can pick up at a library location. You can also download the trifold game sheet from the BCHS website.

We would also love to see your adventures! Share your photos of your visits to the historical markers on social media using #RevealingTheRevolution2026. [Please note: Participating in the use of this hashtag grants the BCHS and the Beaufort County Library permission to use shared photos for promotional purposes.]

• Visit 5 historical markers to receive a "Revealing the Revolution" car sticker.
• Visit 10 historical markers to receive the car sticker and a "Revealing the Revolution" challenge coin.
• Visit all 15 historical markers and return your completed game sheet by July 2 to receive the car sticker, the challenge coin, and an entry into the Grand Prize drawing. Please note: Those who turn in completed game sheets July 3 - 31 will be eligible only for the car sticker and challenge coin prizes.
• The Grand Prize is a 22" X 26" framed replica of the Robert Mills 1825 map of Beaufort District.
• Limit one prize per level per participant.

Completed game sheets can be returned to any Branch Library or bookmobile or mailed directly to the Beaufort County Historical Society with your own postage. The BCHS will mail the prizes earned to those who successfully complete the challenge as long as supplies last. The Grand Prize drawing will occur in mid-July. The BCHS will distribute all prizes by mail by early August.

We are grateful for a grant from the Beaufort County 250th Committee that has funded the purchase of the car stickers and challenge coins project. The Mills Atlas replica was a donation from a private individual. 

Our sincere hope is that you'll have fun with our "Revealing the Revolution" Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt Library Quiz (option #1) and/or RtR deluxe (option #2) all the while learning about the important people and events that shaped Beaufort District’s Revolutionary era history. But wait! There's more.

Celebrate America 250 Passport

Pick up your “Celebrate America 250” passport at a library location beginning April 1. Participate in any four of the listed activities then bring your card to a Branch Library or Bookmobile to receive a limited-edition sticker. Please note: Passports must be turned in by July 2.

Here are just a few of the activities we have planned:

• Color a quilt block for the Martha Washington Star Paper Quilts at the Branch Libraries to create a community patchwork of diverse designs.
• Contribute your “Hope for the Future” of our nation or community to a Time Capsule to be archived in the Beaufort District Collection.
• Attend a “Revolutionary Roots” hands-on Ancestry Library Edition program to learn how to trace your lineage, uncover stories about ancestors who lived during the Revolutionary era, and see how your own family may connect to America’s fight for independence.
• All ages are invited to travel back in time through 18th century games and crafts. Learn how to embroider. Create a quill pen, practice your cursive penmanship, and sign your “John Hancock” to the Declaration of Independence. Play Hoops and Sticks, Marbles, Checkers and other games of the period.
• Successfully complete the "Historical Marker Scavenger Hunt - Library Quest" game sheet.
• We end our series with two days of “Liberty and Legacy.” Mark BCL America250 with a family friendly celebration that brings history to life through colonial-themed crafts and games, screenings of Ken Burns’ American Revolution documentary, a trivia contest about the war emceed by yours truly, and "publick discourses" with Ben Franklin himself. All are welcome.

Be sure to check the Library Calendar for details about our scheduled programs. (Tip: You can filter the “Program Type” to “America 250” to get a birds-eye view of the scheduled activities what we have in store to commemorate the Semiquincentennial of our country.)

During this year of celebration of our Independence, we hope that this community-wide effort will be an exciting and enjoyable way to learn about the people, places and events that helped shape the Revolutionary War effort.