The Charleston History Advocate

Welcome to the weblog of the Special Collections department at the Charleston County Public Library (CCPL). Located within the library system’s Main branch at 68 Calhoun Street, we are an archive of rare and unique materials pertaining to the history of Charleston, South Carolina. Unlike other local archives that collect private materials–such as diaries, letters, and family photographs–our Special Collections focus on public history. In other words, we collect manuscripts, rare books and pamphlets, prints and photographs, and other materials that document the political, economic, and cultural history of the city and county of Charleston. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the materials in this archive and offer some advice for anyone exploring the wrinkles of Charleston’s storied past.