Cultural Resource Information System
The South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) makes information about cultural resources available to consultants and government agencies through the Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS), the National Register files, and the South Carolina Statewide Inventory of Historic Properties. Consultants and agency representatives should search
all three sources of information for compliance-related projects. The
Consultant's Guide to Survey and National Register Files provides an overview of the information included in the SHPO files and a step-by-step checklist for searching for properties that are listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The CRIS is a Geographic Information System that enables researchers to quickly determine if any significant cultural resources are recorded within a specific project area. The following data layers are currently available in the CRIS:
- National Register-listed properties
- Buildings and structures that are eligible for the National Register (surveyed after 1990)
- Areas surveyed for cultural resources (primarily since November 1998)
- County-wide historic architectural survey data for 13 counties
- Civil War earthworks thematic survey data
Important: Archaeological site information is managed and maintained by the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA). The SCIAA website contains information on how to access their files and set up an appointment.
Desktop view of the CRIS showing data layers on the left and cultural resource map data on the right.
The CRIS can be accessed at a computer workstation in the Research Room at the Department of Archives and History (Hours 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday-Saturday). The workstation is password protected in order to restrict access to sensitive information. Consultants and planners are required to sign a GIS User Agreement with the SHPO before searching the CRIS. Once a GIS User Agreement has been signed, consultants and planners can call ahead to receive the latest password for accessing the CRIS.
Important: First-time users need to set up an appointment for orientation and an introduction to the CRIS. Appointments should be made with Chuck Cantley, a few days in advance. Email: ccantley@scdah.state.sc.us Phone: (803) 896-6181.
GIS Data Sharing Between the SHPO and Local, State, and Federal Agencies
The SHPO regularly shares GIS data with local, state, and federal agencies in order to increase awareness of cultural resources during the permitting and planning process. Data files can be transmitted digitally through email or on disk. A license agreement between the SHPO and the government agency must be signed before the data is exchanged and there is no charge for the files.
Additional Cultural Resource Information:
The National Register files are available through the Research Room at the Archives and History Center. National Register information is also available online at http://shpo.sc.gov/properties/register/historicproperties.htm, in addition to historic contexts and information about African American historic properties.
The South Carolina Inventory of Historic Properties includes information on over 40,000 historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, and landscapes. The inventory is a continually evolving record of South Carolina’s architectural and historic resources. The Finding Aid for the Statewide Survey of Historic Properties is available in the Research Room at the Archives and provides information for each county regarding survey records in our collections. The Finding Aid can also be searched online.
The Archaeology section of our website includes historic contexts that have been developed in consultation with our office and selected archaeological reports.