Local History Program: BDC Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery with Bonnie Wade-Mucia

On Saturday, February 7th, the BDC is going on a Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery - and you're invited! Docent and historian Bonnie Wade-Mucia will be our tour guide. 

Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG® is an Accredited Genealogist in the New England region and is the owner of Keeper of the Past Genealogy, LLC. She serves as the Director of the Mayflower Families Silver Books Project for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, where she concentrates on the descendants of Mayflower passengers. In addition, Bonnie is a volunteer docent and historian at Beaufort National Cemetery and has conducted military repatriation casework for the U.S. Army and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) on World War II soldiers. She has published numerous articles in respected genealogical journals and delivered lectures on various topics. Originally from Rhode Island, Bonnie now resides in Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband, Joseph.

The tour will begin promptly at 1 PM and will last approximately 1 hour. 

Register for the tour at the Event Page on the BCL's brand new calendar.

Please note:

• Transportation to the Beaufort National Cemetery is on your own. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited.
• Please arrive at the National Cemetery (1601 Boundary Street) before 1 PM to ensure that you are not left behind.
• Please dress comfortably in clothes and shoes that will support an hour-long walk outdoors.

Reminder: The Library system will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026 in honor of Presidents Day. 

New Year, New Programs: January and February BDC Programs

The BDC is welcoming the new year with quite a few new programs. We can't wait to learn from these presenters, and we look forward to seeing y'all there too!

Dr. Brenda Litchfield has been growing camellias for 30 years and is a co-author of The Camelia Garden Field Guide. Her program on January 27th at the St. Helena Branch Library, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, will cover the fascinating history of camellias along with their care and propagation. Dr. Litchfield will also discuss the different forms and varieties suitable for growing in the Lowcountry. 

Dr. Brenda Litchfield grew up in Beaufort when it was a sleepy little town that no none had discovered yet. She taught elementary, middle, and high school in Neptune Beach, FL for 11 years before earning her Ph.D. She taught at Florida State University for one year and for 27 years at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. She has been growing camellias for over 25 years and had 250+ in her former yard in Alabama. Dr. Litchfield's book, The Camellia Garden Field Guide, is a guide for anyone interested in growing camellias. She is on the Board of Directors of the American Camellia Society and has served on many committees. She was president of the South Alabama Camellia Club for 13 years – because no one else would do it! She and her husband travel whenever they can, and she has been to 70 different countries. She lived in China (Macau and Xi’an [she awn’] for 10 months and Thailand for 6 months while teaching at universities there.

This program is co-sponsored by the Beaufort History Museum and the Beaufort County Library. 

On Saturday, February 7th, the BDC is going on a Field Trip to the Beaufort National Cemetery - and you're invited! Docent and historian Bonnie Wade-Mucia will be our tour guide. 

 Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG® is an Accredited Genealogist in the New England region and is the owner of Keeper of the Past Genealogy, LLC. She serves as the Director of the Mayflower Families Silver Books Project for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, where she concentrates on the descendants of Mayflower passengers. In addition, Bonnie is a volunteer docent and historian at Beaufort National Cemetery and has conducted military repatriation casework for the U.S. Army and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) on World War II soldiers. She has published numerous articles in respected genealogical journals and delivered lectures on various topics. Originally from Rhode Island, Bonnie now resides in Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband, Joseph.

The tour will begin promptly at 1 PM and will last an hour. Registration is not required.

Please note:

• Transportation to the Beaufort National Cemetery is on your own. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited.
• Please arrive at the National Cemetery (1601 Boundary Street) before 1 PM to ensure that you are not left behind.
• Please dress comfortably in clothes and shoes that will support an hour-long walk outdoors.

UPDATE 6 FEBRUARY 2026 at 2:30 PM: We regret that Ranger Ellis' program has to be postponed. We will provide the new date and time for his talk about "A Party Divided" when the new details are finalized. -- gmc

Then, on Friday, February 20th at 11:00 AM in the Beaufort Branch Library Meeting Room, NPS Historian Eric J. Ellis will lead a thought-provoking program on Reconstruction-era politics. During the beginning of the Reconstruction period in Beaufort, SC, a division in the Republican party grew. This political division pitted William C. Morrison and Robert Smalls, heroes of the Planter, against each other. This division in the Republican party was heated and even violent at times and involved some big names in Beaufort history. Hear how this division began, how it played out, and how it impacted the Republican Party of Beaufort’s Reconstruction period at "A Party Divided: Political Divisions of the Beaufort Republican Party During Reconstruction." 

Originally from Jacksonville, Eric joined the US Navy after high school serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. After the Navy, Eric attended school at New Mexico State University, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Eric earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and his Master of Arts in Public History and 19th c. US History. After graduation Eric took a position with New Mexico Historic Sites as an Interpretive Ranger. In 2023, Eric accepted a position as a historian for the National Park Service at the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. In his time with the Park Service, Eric focused his research on Black Landownership during the Reconstruction period and completed research on a variety of topics on the Reconstruction period for the park and park partners.  

This program is part of the "Historically Speaking" local history series brought to you by the Beaufort District Collection and the Beaufort County Historical Society.

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This schedule is subject to change. We ask that you check the Library's online calendar for program updates and cancellations. Also, please note that the BDC Research Room may be closed on local history program days due to limited staff availability.

Reminder: The Library system will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy AND on Monday, February 16, 2026 in honor of Presidents Day. 

It's a Busy Week for Programs

We've got a busy week, June 24 - June 30th. We have 2 local history programs at Beaufort Branch (one on Tuesday about contemporary history and one with the Beaufort County Historical Society on Thursday about Revolutionary War history) plus there's free admission to select area museums participating in Liberty Week Free Museums Saturday.

"Paradise: Memories of Hilton Head" with Nelle and Ora Smith | Tuesday, June 26 | BDC@ Beaufort Branch, 311 Scott Street | 2 PM

Two days later we honor the first decisive American victory of the Revolutionary War (a.k.a. "Carolina Day") with a  local history program presented by one of our most popular presenters, Douglas Bostick. Indeed, native South Carolinians consider June 28 as our state's Independence day and we're hosting a second anniversary "Carolina Day" lecture to celebrate.

On 28 June 1776 nine British naval ships began a bombardment  of Charles Town (Charleston), the fourth largest and by far the wealthiest city in its American colonies. In a battle lasting about 9 hours, a small force of patriots comprised of South and North Carolinians and their Native American allies commanded by Colonel William Moultrie and Colonel William Thomson successfully defended the harbor and town from a sand and palmetto log fort on Sullivan's Island. Using the 31 guns inside the fort to concentrate "hot shot" fire on the British's two largest ships, American forces prevented the landing of 2500 British soldiers and marines. Patriot actions that day helped delay British occupation of Charleston for another 4 years.

The anniversary was first observed in 1777 as Fort Moultrie Day eventually becoming known as Carolina Day in 1875. The modern observance dates from 1995 when Charleston  historical groups helped reinvigorate the celebration of Carolina Day to help raise awareness of South Carolina's and Charleston's role in the Revolutionary War. The State Legislature agreed and passed a law: South Carolina Code Ann. sec. 53-3-140, "June twenty-eighth of each year, the anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan's Island in 1776, is declared to be 'Carolina Day' in South Carolina."

"Carolina Day Lecture" with Doug Bostick | Thursday, June 28 | BDC@ Beaufort Branch, 311 Scott Street | 2 PM  This lecture is co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Historical Society.


The Carolina Day Lecture at the Library kicks off the Liberty Week celebration here in Beaufort County (June 28 - July 4).

The Beaufort County Historical Society is sponsoring its 2nd Annual Super Museum Saturday on June 30th, 2018, 10:00 am - 3:30 pm during which some of Beaufort District's premier historical and cultural heritage sites, Daufuskie Island to Ridgeland, will open free of charge to the public to show our shared history.The countywide collaborative effort began last year as an opportunity to showcase South Carolina's Liberty Week's Colonial and Revolutionary history.

We hope that you will create your own casual day trip thru the County by checking the sites you want to see on their Facebook or websites. Some sites will have special presentations others staff on hand to answer questions. If you decide to visit the Parris Island Museum, please remember that to gain access to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot you will need to provide your driver's license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance at the gate.

Heads up: All units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed on Wednesday, July 4th.

Have You Reserved Your Seat Yet?

Want to observe an important anniversary in the history of Beaufort District and the United States? It's been 156 years since the Battle of Port Royal Sound changed history forever. You have the opportunity to hear a gifted author and presenter tell you all about it. 

• Customer Question: I came to one of Beverly Eggert's presentations about this topic last season. Will this presentation be the same as hers? 
• My Answer: The battle was important on so many levels that different aspects can be pointed out by different presenters so while the topic is the same, I am certain that the presentations will be different because the two presenters are quite different in backgrounds. Ms. Eggert was a retired school teacher of English, a self-described “historical storyteller” who liked to share stories based in history; Mr. Coker is a museum curator, photographs archivist, and author of a highly regarded popular book about the battle appropriately entitled The Battle of Port Royal for the Civil War Sesquicentennial series published by the History Press. (We have copies that you can check out from the Local History sections at the regular branch libraries.) I think that you should come to the lecture so you can compare the two approaches. Mike Coker is an excellent speaker. I'm sure that you will enjoy learning more about this critical military engagement from him.

As of this writing, there are still some seats available. Registration: https://beauforthistorymuseum.wildapricot.org/event-2672851  

Don't delay. Sign up today - before all the seats are taken.

Reminder: The Beaufort County Library system will be closed on Fri., Nov. 10th and Sat., Nov. 11th for Veteran's Day.

Dr. Poplin Returns: Combahee Ferry Historic District Archaeology

One of our very most favorite archaeologists, Dr. Eric Poplin of Brockington and Associates, returns on Wed., November 15, 2017. This time his topic is the archaeology done in advance of the new bridge linking Beaufort and Colleton Counties at the Combahee River. He was the lead archaeologist investigating the uses of the area by Native Americans, colonial settlers, and by both Confederates and Federals during the Civil War. The bridge was named the "Harriet Tubman" bridge in honor of a daring raid up the river that freed an estimated 700 - 800 enslaved people in 1863.

We will have 85 seats available on a first come; first seated basis in the Beaufort Branch Meeting Room, 1st floor, 311 Scott Street. We hope that you'll be able to join us.

The exhibit is on display in the 2nd floor lobby just outside the BDC Research Room door, Mondays - Fridays 9 am to 5 pm with the exception of holidays and unexpected closures. Please note: The Library system will be closed on Fri., Nov. 10th and Sat., Nov. 11th for Veterans Day.  

Impacts of Irma: Library re-opens; Lecture postponed

As Beaufort County dries out, we are happy to announce that the Beaufort County Library system has resumed its regular schedule. 

The Beaufort History Museum is in the process of re-scheduling "Politics, Pilings, and Playgrounds: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park: A Panel Discussion". The lecture will not be held on September 19 as previously announced.

8 Tips on "How To Ask a Question" at a Library Program

The approach of a library local history program fills me with anxiety. Will the presenter have an emergency that prevents the program from proceeding as planned? Will all the technical equipment work as designed during the presentation? Will enough people show up to make the program worthwhile in the view of the investment of time necessary to plan and coordinate the event? Will enough people show up to meet the Board of Trustees expectations about library programs? But probably what I most worry about - after discovering that the tech check was good - is the Q & A at the end. Occasionally there are some tensions in the room.

There are a lot of people who simply don't know how to properly frame and ask a good question. Some people try to hold the floor for 3 to 5 minutes before they actually get to their question. It is not particularly uncommon to hear a person's personal memoir before the question gets posed. Professor Peter Wood wrote a blog post for the Chronicle of Higher Education on March 30, 2012 that lays out some of the criteria of a good question that I will summarize here:

1. Does your question contribute to the quality of the discussion?
2. Does your question enhance the occasion?
3. Does your question have a single point?
4. Does your question begin with one of these words: Who? What? Where? When? or Why?
5. Is your question direct?
6. Does your question indicate that you have been attentive to the discussion thus far?
7. Is the intent of your question to shame or "call out" the presenter? If your answer to this question is yes, then just don't do it. Wait to ask the presenter in private.
8. Will the answer to your question likely be of interest to others in attendance? (This one often should be kept in mind at family history/genealogy related programs. Trust me. The person most interested in the minute details of your ancestors is you!) 

Please take the time to read Peter Wood's blog post "How To Ask A Question" before the next time you pose a question in a public forum. And remember, your question should contribute to the quality of the discussion at hand. Civility is a good character trait to foster, particularly in a democratic society - though civility does seem to be regretfully absent in these very contentious political times.

Speaking of civility ... Stay tuned this Fall for updates about the Conversation Cafe programs held at some of the branch Libraries. Conversation Cafe's are free, hosted, drop-in conversations in public places among people with diverse views and a shared passion for engaging with others. A minimal set of agreements and a simple process create the shift from small talk to BIG talk. Topics covered thus far: What are your hopes for 2017? ; How do we create community? ; Polarization among people -- what can be done to bridge the divide? ; What is the impact of pain? ; How do we raise moral children? ; What is the role of literature - particularly fiction - in our lives?

BDC@ Series returns

The BDC has two programs coming up in mid-January (which would be incredibly difficult to make happen except for the fact that Charmaine has returned to the BDC. She is finally back from her sojourn helping out at Lobeco Branch in light of chronic shortage of staff within the library system).

On Wednesday, January 14th, manager, librarian and archivist, Grace Cordial, is presenting "Tide of Death: The Sea Island Hurricane of 1893" at Coastal Discovery Museum. Listen to first person accounts and see rare materials about the night that death came to call. Consider it a “Beaufort District Collection Show-and-Tell of Local Disaster.” The presentation is free because it is co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Library. To register: http://www.coastaldiscovery.org/event-registration/?regevent_action=register&event_id=1148

On Thursday, January 15th at 4 pm, Dr. Larry Rowland tells all about "The Treaty of Beaufort" in the final lecture supplementing the South Carolina Historical Society's panel exhibit, "The Shaping of South Carolina," that is on display just outside our Research Room door. The lecture is free but registration is required as seats are very limited. Closed when full. Call 255-6468 or e-mail gracec@bcgov.net to sign up.

Heads up: The Library system, including the Beaufort District Collection, will be closed Monday, Jan. 19th to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Regular hours resume Tuesday, January 20th (barring anything unforeseen, of course.) 

Sign Up!

The countdown has begun.  You're in luck that there are still some seats available for Dr. Larry Rowland's free lecture on "The Treaty of Beaufort" that is set for Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 4 pm. But, available seats are going fast!

This is the final lecture in a series of three supplementing the content of "The Shaping of South Carolina" panel exhibit on loan from the South Carolina Historical Society that has been on display in the 2nd floor lobby since October 1st. (The exhibit leaves at 5 pm on Friday, January 30th so time is indeed running out.) As an added dividend, the City of Beaufort has instituted free 2 hour parking - yes, even in the parking lot immediately outside the library building at 311 Scott Street! You won't have to pay the kiosk.
Please note: Pre-registration is required to attend. We will keep a small stand-by list as it is not uncommon for cancellations to occur. Call 255-6468 or e-mail gracec@bcgov.net to sign up today.

Come hear arguably Beaufort's most beloved historian share the history of his favorite place on this planet. Don't delay! Call or e-mail today.

Heads up: The Beaufort County Library, including the Beaufort District Collection, will be closed Mon., January 19th to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. day.

Holiday Schedules and Events

The Beaufort District Collection is a proud member of the Beaufort County Historical Resources Consortium. Together we bring history, culture, archaeology, natural history, and genealogy to the community through museums, collections, and special events. In case you too have house guests and want to provide some historical and cultural education for them, here's the holiday operations schedule for some of our sister agencies:

• Heritage Library - The library will be closed from December 22 to January 5.
• Historic Beaufort Foundation - The Verdier House is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The office will be closed at noon on Christmas Eve and stay closed for Christmas Day; The office will be closed at noon on New Year's Eve and stay closed all day on New Year's Day.
• Coastal Discovery Museum - Closed Dec. 24, Dec. 25, and Jan. 1.
• Gullah/Geechee Nation - The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition is closed from Dec. 21 - February 1. 
• Penn Center - The Administrative offices are closed until January 5th.  The Museum is closed through Dec. 21st. The Nativity Play will occur Dec. 21st at 6:30 pm in Frissell Community House. The York Bailey Museum will be open  Dec. 22-25, 9 am - 4 pm (Yes, Victoria Smalls assures me, the Museum will be open on Christmas Day).
• Beaufort History Museum - closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Dec. 26th and Dec. 27th, Dec. 31st and Jan. 1, 2015.
• Bluffton Historical Preservation Society- The historic Heyward House is closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Closed for heavy cleaning, January 5th - January 10th.
• Parris Island Museum - is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. 

Here in the Library system, remember that when the BDC Research Room is open, you can see the "Shaping of South Carolina" traveling exhibit on loan from the South Carolina Historical Society. Drop by to learn more about the 400+ year saga about our boundaries with other colonies and states.

By the way, registration is now open for the third, and final, lecture in the series, "The Treaty of Beaufort" with Dr. Lawrence Rowland
Thurs., Jan. 15, 2015 at 4 pm. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 255-6468 or e-mail gracec@bcgov.net to reserve your spot.

If you come today, tomorrow or Friday, you can take in the Beaufort Railroaders model train display downstairs and the "Shaping of South Carolina" exhibit upstairs! Two major displays for one City of Beaufort parking meter payment!! What a deal!!! 

 

The Research Room is open 10 am  - Noon; Closed noon to 1 pm; and open 1 pm - 5 pm on Mon., Dec. 22 and Tues., Dec. 23.

The entire Library system, including the Beaufort District Collection, is closed all day Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th and Christmas Day, Dec. 25th.

Regular hours resume on Fri., Dec. 26th at the branch locations. The one exception is the Beaufort District Collection. The BDC Research Room will be closed due to staff shortage on Fri., Dec. 26th.

The entire Library system, including the Beaufort District Collection closes at 5 pm on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st.

The entire Library system is closed on New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2015.

Regular hours resume on Fri., Jan. 2nd.

Archaeology of Native Americans Lectures Oct. 22

Professor Chris Judge, USC-Lancaster will be in Beaufort County on Wed., Oct. 22nd to deliver two talks at two locations. Be sure to pay attention to the locations and times.  It would be awful to show up at the wrong lecture.

1) Learn about the archaeology of the local Yamassee Indians from 1684 up to the start of the Yamassee War at Noon at the Coastal Discovery Museum. The lecture is free but reservations are required.  Contact: Natalie Hefter, 843-689-6767, ext. 223 nhefter@coastaldiscovery.org.


2) The evening lecture concentrates on the Woodland Period in South Carolina, 1000 BC to 1200 AD.  Recent research is shedding new light on these Native Americans. The lecture will be held in the area just outside the Beaufort District Collection Research Room, 2nd floor, 311 Scott Street beginning at 6 pm.  This lecture is the first talk in a three lecture series to supplement the South Carolina Historical Society's "Shaping of South Carolina" exhibit on display now. Both the lecture and the exhibit are free, but space is limited.  First come, first seated.  Contact: Charmaine Concepcion, 843-255-6468, cseabrook@bcgov.net.

History Programs and Exhibits Around the County

History is all around us, all the time, here in Beaufort County! Because we are the Library system's liaison to the Beaufort County Historical Resources Consortium, we  get notices about what is going on in our sister cultural heritage agencies.  Here's a few lectures and exhibits (in alphabetical order by name of the sponsor) to help satisfy your urge for adding to your historical knowledge during the next two weeks or so:

Beaufort County Historical Society: Shanklin School Historic Marker Dedication Thursday, September 18th at 10 am on Shanklin Rd. followed with a lecture by Anne Christensen Pollitzer and vintage slides of Shanklin School at Noon, Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club.

Beaufort District Collection: We're doing a supplemental Show-and-Tell about the Byrne Miller Collection in our archives at Teresa Bruce's talk at the Beaufort Branch Book Club meeting Thursday, September 18th at 5:30pm; "Creating the Carolinas" traveling exhibit from the South Carolina Historical Society opens October 1st.  Both the program and the exhibit are free.

Beaufort History Museum: is open and ready for customers on the 2nd floor of the Arsenal building on Craven Street in downtown Beaufort.


Coastal Discovery Museum and Heritage Library Foundation: "Hilton Head in the Modern Era” series continues with Rebekah Dobrasko on “Lowcountry African American Schools, 1920 – 1970,″ Tuesday, September 23, at the Coligny Theater, Coligny Plaza.  


Heritage Library Foundation: "Exploring Irish Roots," Friday, September 26 and "Starting Family History Research," 2 session workshop, Wednesdays October 1 and October 8.

Historic Beaufort Foundation: “Dinner and a Lecture” series continues on Monday, September 22, 2014 with Colin Brooker lecturing on: "Tabby, Pisé and Cob: Investigations, Discovery and Interpretation."

Penn Center: Exhibit of "Sanfoka Slave Artifact Collection," through October 3. 

Please contact the sponsoring agency for details and fees.

Archaeology Lecture Mon., June 9th

On Monday, June 9th, the BDC will keep the Combahee Ferry Historic District exhibit open an additional 45 minutes.  Visit the exhibit that date 10 am - 5:45 pm. This way if you haven't seen the exhibit yet, you can see the exhibit and listen to Dr. Poplin's talk at 6 pm.  What a great 2-for-1 deal, don't you think?  

"Archaeology of the Combahee Ferry Historic District" with lead archaeologist Dr. Eric Poplin | Monday, June 9, 2014 | in the Children's Programming Room, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, 1st floor.  The lecture begins at 6 pm.  The lecture is free.  Anyone over age 12 with an interest in archaeology is welcomed to attend.

Dr. Poplin's lecture is co-sponsored by the Beaufort District Collection and the new Beaufort Chapter, Archaeological Society of South Carolina.  Please join us!

Historical Society Lectures Continue

The Beaufort County Historical Society, the oldest association in Beaufort County dedicated to the study and preservation of history, continues its series of free lectures. A member based organization, the society was established in 1939.

Thurs., Nov. 21st, 2013: Grace Cordial, Beaufort County Library about "Child Labor in the LowCountry" at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club at Noon

Thurs., Jan. 16th, 2014: Dr. Brent Morris, USC-B on William H. Brisbane, "the most hated man in Beaufort District"

Thurs., March 20th, 2014: Dr. Amy Thompson McCandless, College of Charleston on sister abolitionists, Sarah Grimke and Angelina Grimke Weld.

Date TBA - Drs. Lawrence Rowland and Stephen Wise--75th Annual Meeting-location TBA

For further information contact Mary Lou Brewton-President maryloubrew@aol.com or 912-604-3634; www.beaufortcountyhistoricalsociety.org
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