HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEWS AND NOTES
from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
S.C. Department of Archives and History
June 20, 2008
In this issue:
· S.C. Department of Archives & History Loses Its First State Historic Preservation Officer
· New Historic Architecture Consultant
· Upcoming Project Review Workshops
· State Board of Review to Meet on July 25
· Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission Elects Officers
· Historic Preservation Forum To Air On SCETV
· New Grant and Technical Assistance to Encourage Community Center Schools
· Historic Beaufort Foundation Named to Top Tier of Preservation Organizations
· This Place Matters
· U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) Major General Robert Smalls To Dock In Charleston Harbor
· Log On to Ancestry.com
· Conferences and Workshops
· Grant Application Deadlines
S.C. Department Of Archives And History Loses Its First State Historic Preservation Officer
The Department of Archives and History mourns the loss of Charles Edward Lee, our first State Historic Preservation Officer. Mr. Lee will be missed. Below is an excerpt from his obituary as it appeared in The State newspaper on June 1, 2008 followed by a remembrance by former SHPO employee, Michael Stevens.
Lee, nationally acclaimed historian, died Friday, May 30, 2008 [at the age of 90]. Born June 17, 1917, in Asheville, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Ralph Edwin and Mabel (nee Robinson) Lee. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938 and a Master of Arts degree in history in 1939, both from the University of South Carolina. He enrolled at the University of Chicago for further graduate study in history from 1938-1941 and also from 1947-1948.
…In 1961, Mr. Lee was named director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History with responsibility for the procurement and preservation and management of the State's historic records and the preservation and promotion of the state's many historic sites. In addition to his duties as director, Mr. Lee was in 1969 named State Historic Preservation Officer.
Under his leadership, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History grew both in scope and efficiency and served as a model organization for other state archives. From 1970-1976, he was on the consulting committee of the National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings for the National Park Service.
In 1974, the prestigious Society of American Archives recognized the department's many achievements with the presentation of a Distinguished Service award. As director, Mr. Lee encouraged historical societies throughout the state and stimulated great interest in historic preservation on the local level. His efforts brought all South Carolinians a keener awareness of their history and heritage.
…Mr. Lee was appointed to the national Historical Publications and Records Commission in 1975 and served a four-year term. In this position, he worked diligently for the passage of federal legislation providing funding for the preservation of historical records. His appointment to the commission enabled him to act as an effective liaison between federal and local agencies in the area of historic preservation as well as on behalf of federal state and local government records management.
A Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, he was elected president of the Society in 1972. From 1976-1978, he served as president of the National Association of State Archives and Records Administrations. Twice a member of the executive board of the National Conference of State Historical Preservation Officers, he was elected this organization's vice president in 1981, and served as its president in the mid-1980s.
His outstanding contributions in the field of historic preservation were recognized in 1979 when he was presented the Conservation Service Award by the United States Department of the Interior. In 1980, the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina honored him with the William Gilmore Simms Award.
Mr. Lee was a founder and an active member of The Anglican Church of the Epiphany in Columbia, S.C.
He is survived by his wife, Jane Blizzard Lee; three children, Christopher Lee, Janet Burnet and Frank Lee; fifteen grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Ralph Lee and Wadell Lee; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Remembrance from Michael Stevens, Wisconsin SHPO
I worked for Charles Lee between 1978 and 1987 and during those years I learned a great deal from him. Charles called himself a "cultural politician," and he was a master at it. He was known in the South Carolina legislature as a raconteur, and whenever he appeared at a budget hearing, the first question would be "Dr. Lee, what story do you have for us today?" And stories he had indeed, always containing a piece of humor and always ending by making a point about the importance of history. While at ease with the influential and powerful, he often brought his lunch to work in a brown bag and made it a point to seek out the opinions of the maintenance and clerical workers who ate in the crowded staff lounge. He told me that he had plenty of opportunities to get the opinions of his managers and professional staff, and eating in the lunchroom helped him hear different perspectives. While holding to high standards, Charles Lee was a kindly man who loved the South and its old traditions, but most of all loved people and good conversation. He would value no greater tribute than being remembered as a Southern gentleman.
New Historic Architecture Consultant
On June 2nd, Kim Robinson joined the SHPO staff as our new Historic Architecture Consultant. Kim moved to South Carolina from Indiana where she attended Purdue University and the graduate program in Historic Preservation at Ball State University. She will be coordinating and reviewing projects for the State Homeowner Rehabilitation Tax Credit program and will be providing technical assistance on architectural matters for a portion of the state. Please join us in welcoming Kim to South Carolina. She can be reached at (803) 896-6199 or krobinson@scdah.state.sc.us.
Upcoming Project Review Workshops
June 26, 2008: The South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control – Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (SCDHEC – OCRM) will host a workshop on historic properties and provisions of the South Carolina Coastal Zone Management Act. The workshop will be held at the City of Charleston Council Chambers in City Hall, which is located at 80 Broad Street in Charleston, South Carolina. The workshop is targeted to individuals who work with projects that will require a Land Disturbance or Critical Area permit and certification from the SCDHEC - OCRM. Engineers, archaeologists, applicants, government staff, and others are all welcome to attend this free event. A map illustrating the locations of City Hall and nearby parking structures can be found at http://www.charlestoncity.info/shared/docs/0/parking_garage_locations_city2.pdf.
The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with registration starting at 9:00 a.m. Topics of discussion will be:
· South Carolina Coastal Zone Management Act, Rules and Procedures, and Memorandum of Agreement among SCDHEC – OCRM, SCIAA, and SCSHPO Concerning Implementation of the SC Coastal Management Program
· The Review Process and new Project Review Form
· Model Memorandum of Agreement and Instruction Sheet
· Mitigation
Individuals interested in attending this workshop should contact Frances Knight, South Carolina Department of Archives and History, at (803) 896-5487 or at fknight@scdah.state.sc.us. Space is limited, so please indicate interest no later than Friday, 20 June 2008.
September 23, 2008: The SHPO will be hosting a workshop on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the reoriented consultation process in South Carolina, and consultation with Native American tribes. The workshop will be held at the Archives and History Center in Columbia. Further information will be forthcoming. Rebekah Dobrasko, Review & Compliance Coordinator, is the workshop contact, and can be reached at dobrasko@scdah.state.sc.us or 803-896-6169.
State Board Of Review To Meet On July 25
The South Carolina State Board of Review for the National Register of Historic Places will meet on Friday, July 25, 2008, at 10:30 a.m. at the Archives and History Center. The Board will consider the following nominations to the National Register:
**Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church, Summerton, Clarendon County
**Hannah Rosenwald School, Newberry County
**Providence Methodist Church, Holly Hill, Orangeburg County
**Columbia Central Fire Station, Columbia, Richland County
**Pine Grove Rosenwald School, Richland County
**Wesley Methodist Church, Columbia, Richland County
**The Women's Club of Columbia, Columbia, Richland County
The public is welcome to attend the meeting. For more information, contact Andy Chandler at chandler@scdah.state.sc.us or 803-896-6179.
Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission Elects Officers
This past May the Commission elected its first officers and carried out other business. Emory S. Campbell of Hilton Head, South Carolina was elected Chairperson of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission during its second organizational meeting since inception. The Commission developed and adopted bylaws, elected a slate of officers, and established working committees. Mayor Eulis A. Willis of Navassa, North Carolina is Vice Chairperson; Jeanne Cyriaque of Atlanta, Georgia is Secretary; and Ralph Johnson of Fort Lauderdale, Florida is Treasurer.
The 15-member federal commission, with ten alternates, was established in October 2007 in accordance with the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Act of 2006, authored by Congressman James E. Clyburn of South Carolina (D-06). The Commission is charged with developing and implementing a management plan for the Heritage Corridor, which recognizes an area along the coasts of northern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and southern North Carolina. One of 37 National Heritage Areas, the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor will promote and interpret important contributions made to American culture and history by Africans and African Americans known as Gullah/Geechee.
For more information about the Corridor or its Commission, contact Michael Allen at 843-881-5516 ext. 12 or Emory Campbell at 843-681-5836 or 843-384-4347.
Historic Preservation Forum To Air On SCETV
In an effort to highlight historic preservation in the state of South Carolina, SCETV will air a forum show on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 7:00 pm. During the program stakeholders will discuss historic preservation from various perspectives. When is historic preservation the best course? Does “old” necessarily mean “historic?” Is preservation a more expensive option? What role does government play in deciding these issues? Modern development vs. historic preservation—are they necessarily in conflict? To learn more about this program, contact Ja’Vell Bynoe at jbynoe@scetv.org or 803-737-7870.
New Grant And Technical Assistance To Encourage Community Center Schools
Concerned about the abandonment of older neighborhood schools and the siting of new schools outside of communities, the National Trust is offering an opportunity for organizations and coalitions in up to five states to analyze their state's current policies and develop an educational outreach program with policy recommendations to help citizens and officials make informed choices when spending their limited dollars on school facilities. The proposal deadline is July 14, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. eastern. For more information about this issue and details about applying for this new grant opportunity, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/historic-schools/ or contact Renee Viers Kuhlman, Director of Special Projects, Center for State and Local Policy, at 202-588-6234 or renee_kuhlman@nthp.org.
Historic Beaufort Foundation Named To Top Tier Of Preservation Organizations
Historic Beaufort Foundation has reached an important institutional milestone by being named one of 65 local preservation organizations to be a local partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of three Trust partners in South Carolina. The others are the Preservation Society of Charleston and the Preservation Trust of Spartanburg. For more information about the Historic Beaufort Foundation go to www.historic-beaufort.org or contact Maxine Lutz at 843-379-3331 or mlutz@historic-beaufort.org.
This Place Matters
"This Place Matters" campaign, created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is designed to help people share the places that matter to them, wherever these places happen to be. By simply printing a sign with “This Place Matters” and taking a picture, you can tell the story about a place that matters to you. To learn more about sharing your story visit www.preservationnation.org/thisplacematters.
U.S. Army Vessel (USAV) Major General Robert Smalls To Dock In Charleston Harbor
The USAV Major General Robert Smalls, a logistics support vessel will dock at the Cruise Ship Passenger Terminal at 196 Concord Street in Charleston on June 23-24, 2008. As the first Army ship to bear the name of an African American and the first to carry the name of a Civil War hero, a commemoration ceremony honoring it and its namesake will be held at 10 a.m. on June 24. After the ceremony, the ship will be open for tours until 3 p.m. For more information contact Michael Allen, Education Specialist, NPS, Fort Sumter at 843-881-5516 ext. 12.
Log On To Ancestry.com
Through an agreement with The Generations Network, Inc., TGN’s Ancestry.com site is now available free of charge to anyone visiting the Archives’ Reference Room. The Reference Room is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Conferences And Workshops
Historic Preservation: Easements, Tax Incentives and Litigation, Archives and History Center, Columbia, June 24, 2008. Learn about the legal aspects and tax consequences of easement donations to protect historic properties or the types of tax incentives available to historic buildings at this Lorman seminar. For more information go to: http://www.lorman.com/seminars/seminar_details.php?sku=378852.
A variety of continuing education credits are available to participants.
Antebellum Interior Decorative Arts Workshop, Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site, Union, June 28, 2008. Come to Rose Hill Plantation on Saturday, June 28, 2008 from 9:30a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and learn for yourself the techniques and skills that were used by professional decorative painters to adorn homes such as the William Henry Gist mansion. Martin Meek, a renowned expert on interior decorative arts, will demonstrate and teach decorative arts painting principles and techniques, and participants in the program will be able to learn hands-on how to execute these techniques for themselves. Practice panels will be available to program attendees. Drinks and light snacks will also be available. The cost for this program is $10.00 per person, and reservations are required. Attendance is limited to the first 30 registrants. For more information and to register for this program, call the Park Office at 864-427-5966.
National Alliance of Preservation Commissions 6th Biennial Forum, New Orleans, July 10-13, 2008. The Forum is the only national conference dedicated to local preservation commissions and their issues. It includes working roundtables, breakout sessions, tours, and network building. The preliminary program and registration information is on the NAPC website http://www.uga.edu/sed/pso/programs/napc/napc.htm or email napc@uga.edu.
Comparative Osteoarchaeology: A Practical Workshop, Eagle Lake Field Station, CA, July 20-23, 2008. This workshop focuses on identifying faunal and human bone remains. It will feature a day of lab and lecture focused on identifying faunal material, half a day of identifying human versus non-human remains, a field trip to local archaeological sites and lectures featuring current debates in zooarchaeology, uses of dental increment analysis, stable isotope analysis and ancient DNA. For more information and to register online visit http://rce.csuchico.edu/osteoarchaeology/ or contact Melanie Beasley at melmbeasley@yahoo.com or 530-898-4029 with any questions. The last day to register is June 27, 2008.
Cemetery Landscape Preservation Workshop, Natchitoches, Louisiana, September 16-17, 2008. Sponsored by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, this workshop focuses on managing historic cemetery vegetation. Registration is $399, due by August 15, 2008. For more information or to register go to www.ncptt.nps.gov.
Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference, Chicago, Illinois, September 18-20, 2008. The Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference is the largest tradeshow, conference and networking event dedicated to the historic restoration, renovation and traditionally inspired new construction markets; where thousands of architects, designers, builders, remodelers, developers, building owners, facility managers and historic homeowners gather together in a forum that encourages sharing of ideas and experiences for Restoring the Past and Building the Future. For more information visit www.traditionalbuildingshow.com.
2008 National Preservation Conference: Preservation in Progress, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 21-25, 2008. If you would like the preliminary program for 2008 mailed to you send an email request to conference@nthp.org. Conference information is now available online at www.eshow2000.com/nthp.
Identification and Evaluation of Mid-20th Century Buildings, Archives and History Center, Columbia, November 18-19, 2008.
Sponsored by the National Preservation Institute, participants in this course will discuss how post-World War II structures fit into today's and tomorrow's historic preservation patterns. With an emphasis on the 1950s and 1960s, participants will examine era-specific factors that help to identify and evaluate post-war buildings in terms of their significance for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. More information is available at http://www.npi.org/sem-20th.html.
Section 106 Training Courses are offered by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at a variety of locations and times around the country. The 2008 schedule for both the “106 Essentials Training Course” and new “Advanced Section 106 Seminar” are available at http://www.achp.gov/106select.html.
Grant Application Deadlines
June 30, 2008: Preserve America Grants: Applications for Round Two of funding for FY 2008 Preserve America grants are now available. The Preserve America matching-grant program provides planning funding to designated Preserve America Communities to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning. The application is available at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/application.htm.
July 31, 2008: S.C. Preserve America Initiative: These matching grants (up to $20,000) are available to smaller communities (population 25,000 or less in the 2000 census) in South Carolina for historic preservation projects. Eligible grant projects include historic property surveys and publications using survey findings, National Register district and multiple property submission nominations, architectural plans for individual historic buildings, structures and archaeological sites, and design guidelines for historic districts. Please contact Brad Sauls for more information or to discuss a potential project at sauls@scdah.state.sc.us or 803-896-6172. Applications and instructions are available at http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/saveamerica.htm.
October 1, 2008: Preservation Services Fund Grants: Administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, these grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for preservation planning and education efforts. Grant awards range from $500 to $5,000. For more information, contact the Southern Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation at 843-722-8552 or soro@nthp.org or visit the National Trust website at http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/grants/.
Information about other grants is available on the Archives and History website at: http://shpo.sc.gov
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