Did you know that May is Historic Preservation Month? Although we think it’s a year round activity, here are some notes for the State Historic Preservation Office newsletter:
May is Preservation Month
Throughout the month of May the South Carolina Department of Archives and History invites you to follow along with our Preservation Primers as we navigate through select Preservation Briefs to highlight ways owners can better maintain and understand the historic character of their properties. We invite you to follow along with these posts on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/scdah/.
State Constitutions Exhibit at the Department of Archives & History
“All Political Power is Vested in and Derived from the People” The Constitutions of South Carolina is an exhibit of the recently conserved South Carolina Constitutions of 1776, 1778, 1790, 1861, 1865, 1868, and 1895. This is a rare opportunity to view the Constitutions of South Carolina. It is the first time these foundational documents have been displayed together for public viewing. Also on display is South Carolina’s 1682 recorded copy of the Fundamental Constitution of Carolina. The free exhibit is at the South Carolina Archives and History Center at 8301 Parklane Road in Columbia. It is open Monday – Saturday 8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. (On Saturdays the building closes from Noon – 1:00 P.M. for lunch).
Tax Credit Spotlight
Located within the Hampton Park Terrace National Register historic district in Charleston, this month’s spotlight is a one-story Minimal Traditional house built around 1930. Between 2021 and 2022, the current owners applied for the 25% State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit. The SHPO approved proposed rehabilitation work which included masonry repairs; structural repairs; in-kind roof replacement; compatible dormer addition; repairs to windows and doors; restoration of historic plaster; alterations to secondary spaces; upgrades to MEP; and rehabilitation of a historic outbuilding. This rehabilitation balanced a project with a wide scope of work and met the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. In 2022, the SHPO certified the completed work, earning the current owners the state income tax credit equal to 25% of eligible rehabilitation expenses. The property owner, Anne Kelley Russell, highlights the benefits of the historic rehabilitation tax credit: “We view the historic tax credit as a lovely way to recognize our commitment to preserving our home and our historic neighborhood. Chris Tenny and other members of the State Historic Preservation Office were incredibly helpful in guiding us through the process and gave us additional ideas of ways we could better preserve our home. We are proud of what we have accomplished and are thankful for the historic tax credit program.” For more information about the homeowner tax credit program visit https://scdah.sc.gov/historic-preservation/programs/tax-incentives/homeowner.
