Preservation Society of Charleston

10/07/2026

🏠 This summer, PSC conducted the first comprehensive architectural surveys of two historic neighborhoods in West Ashley: 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦 and 𝘉𝘺𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴. Among Charleston’s earliest planned suburbs, these communities tell the story of the city’s early 20th–century expansion beyond the peninsula. These surveys have generated new data and resources to help residents better understand, celebrate, and advocate for the preservation of their neighborhoods’ distinctive character.

We’re rolling out this project by shining a spotlight on 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦. Emerging in the 1920s as a pioneering suburban community, its development was made possible by improved transportation, including the Ashley River Memorial Bridge, which opened in 1926.

Once a large cabbage and potato farm, real estate broker James Stocker Simmons purchased the land to redevelop it as a new neighborhood, which he coined “Windermere,” after a lake in Cumbria, England. Old Windermere’s strong sense of place is characterized by individually designed homes and architectural variety, which has been a direct result of its development over many decades.

Today, historic residential neighborhoods beyond downtown Charleston have no local demolition review or preservation protections. The city has the ability to adopt tools tailored to individual neighborhoods, and understanding what makes these places significant is an important first step in protecting them.

Explore the history and architecture of 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦 on the PSC’s new StoryMap (linked in stories).

10/06/2026

Take Charleston’s tourism survey by Oct. 8 📋

A city-led survey gives residents the chance to share experiences and inform strategies to minimize tourism impacts across Charleston. To be effective, the updated tourism management plan will have to respond to these everyday experiences while also setting a vision for how tourism operates in Charleston.

We took the survey; here are three things to keep in mind:

1. Think about land use: In many instances, the impacts many of us feel from tourism come down to past land use decisions. Congestion around new hotels and on neighborhood streets, the proliferation of national chain businesses and overworked infrastructure can, many times, be traced to zoning and planning decisions.

2. Benefits from development: Tourism-related development has created new spaces for lots of great restaurants and high-end retailers. But what kinds of other benefits should locals expect for the quality-of-life trade-offs we all experience from tourism? What about new cultural arts spaces or experiences? Or places where small independent businesses can put down roots? What unique opportunities are available to all Charlestonians that won’t appear in every splashy travel guide?

3. Setting a vision: The new Tourism Management Plan is a great opportunity for Charleston to chart a new future for local tourism. We’re optimistic about the city’s stated goal of using visitation data to inform policy. And we look forward to an open and honest examination of the impacts of the tourism industry with an eye on policy changes that prioritize resident experiences in areas that welcome waves of new visitors each year. This survey is a good first step to get a baseline for how the community is feeling.

The Preservation Society will continue to engage on this important topic during the development of the upcoming Peninsula Plan and the citywide Tourism Management Plan in the coming months. City tourism leaders will hold an ‘open studio’ to discuss your tourism experiences and hear your suggestions at the Civic Design Center (85 Calhoun St.), this Thursday from 3-6 P.M.

🔗 Link to survey in stories.

09/28/2026

The Clemson MSHP Program is happy to announce that first year student Annalise Edwards has accepted a fall internship to assist in completion of the Area Character Appraisal for Charleston’s Eastside neighborhood.

Supported by the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation, and in partnership with the Preservation Society of Charleston, Annalise will be conducting field survey documentation, archival research, meta data analysis, organization and entry of survey data, as well as GIS mapping.

Annalise comes from Las Cruces, NM and recently graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Classical & Mediterranean Studies from Vanderbilt University. Her previous experience includes working as an archival assistant at Vanderbilt’s History of Medicine Collection for four years, and researching the synthesis of historic Anishinaabe rock art with Vanderbilt Chemistry’s Macdonald Lab. As a recent transplant to the area, she is elated to be living in Charleston and is ready to dive into its local history.

Congratulations Annalise!

09/27/2026

Only a few days before we officially kick off our 50th Fall Tours. 🍂

Here’s a spotlight on our Insider’s Tours, the most in-depth experiences we offer. Explore properties seldom open to the public with industry experts, historians, and designers. Limited tickets remain for these three unique opportunities to discover Charleston.

🔨 Sullivan’s Island Hard Hat Tour | Oct. 1 at 4 PM

Join the PSC and Old City Builders for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the thoughtful rehabilitation of a traditional island cottage on Sullivan’s Island.

🏢 Broad Street Commercial Tour | Oct. 16 at 3 PM

Discover the history hiding in plain sight along one of Charleston’s oldest commercial corridors. From merchants and tradespeople to the buildings and businesses that shaped Charleston’s commercial life, this tour explores Broad Street through the architecture and stories that reveal how the city worked and changed over time.

🏠 Behind the Big House Tour | Oct. 22 at 3 PM

Whether you’re a longtime Charleston resident or seeing these stories for the first time, this tour offers a chance to look at the city from a new perspective.

The Behind the Big House Tour examines the domestic and working spaces that remain largely out of sight, offering a deeper understanding of Charleston’s architecture and history. The enslaved laborers that built these properties, as well as worked and lived on site, offer a history that deserves to be told.

🎟️ Reserve your spot today to experience from a new perspective. Purchase tickets at link in bio and on preservationsociety.org

09/26/2026

Wednesday morning we woke to images of a pile of rubble where, just hours before, the Emma Abbott Memorial Chapel stood. The loss was especially painful because a deal seemed to be in place to treat this sacred space with far greater respect. This outcome is shocking and unacceptable, and PSC will now renew our focus on the critical reforms needed to ensure it won’t happen again in Charleston.

What happened with this chapel raises two critical issues. First, a building that was assumed saved by the BAR in 2021 promptly suffered years of neglect. No process was enforced to ensure that it was stabilized and secured from water intrusion.

Second, our Chief Building Official used their powerful and blunt authority to bypass the BAR’s decision without notice or a process for review. We concede that when a building is truly unsafe, it is essential to address life-safety concerns. But who should bear the cost? In this case, the owner was spared the cost of doing everything necessary to save a priceless old building. Those savings came at the expense of the community who forever lost a defining historic asset.

Charleston’s review processes have traditionally focused on architectural significance. As we consider policy changes to better protect places of cultural importance, we must think about how community stories and lived experiences become part of the record.

The Emma Abbott Memorial Chapel did not have the benefit of that fuller record while it was standing, but its story lives on. PSC is committed to working with Eastside residents to capture community memories alongside what the archival record tells us. Here is a snapshot of what we know so far, and there is much more to learn.

Thank you Kim Graham for providing images of the Emma Abbott Memorial Chapel.

For advocacy news, become a member of the PSC or subscribe to our newsletter. 🔗 Link for more information is in our bio.

09/19/2026

The countdown to our 50th Fall Tours is on! 🍂

🌳This year, join the Preservation Society of Charleston for a brand-new House & Garden Tour through Charleston’s North Central neighborhood, a 20th century streetcar suburb featuring kit homes and Craftsman-style architecture from the 1920s-1930s.

On this special tour explore multiple properties, including a garden of native plantings recently featured in Garden & Gun, a house in the final stages of renovation, and thoughtfully designed interiors featuring stained glass windows and curated art collections.

The tour celebrates North Central’s unique character, highlights Charleston’s local design community, and offers a glimpse into the neighborly spirit found along its well-known “tree” streets.

Grab a coffee at Sightsee before the tour or enjoy lunch at one of the local nearby restaurants. Reserve your spot today for this exciting new tour!

🎟️ Check our stories for tickets and at the link in bio.

A special thank you to our presenting sponsor, gdcHome , for their continued support of The Fall Tours, a celebrated Charleston tradition.

Poster design: Blake Suárez

Join us as we explore the North Central neighborhood of Charleston with its array of kit homes, Craftsman bungalows, vernacular cottages, and American Foursquare homes. Known for its tree streets: Poplar, Maple, Peachtree, and Cypress, North Central has character all its own. Learn more abo...

09/11/2026

🚨Advocacy Update: Dash Hall

This week, City Council narrowly approved an agreement between Ashley Hall and the City that overturns the BAR’s unanimous denial of the demolition of 148 Smith St., a one-story remnant of Dash Hall, the historic Black-owned jazz and dance venue.

The vote was close (7-5). Councilmembers even echoed PSC concerns:
- Lack of evidence supporting demolition
- Unreasonable timeline for relocation
- Troubling precedent of a political body second-guessing the facts established by its own expert board

Your voice was heard: In response to PSC advocacy and public backlash, the agreement was modified to provide roughly 80 days to relocate the building. While the timeline is tight, this concession represents significant progress as an alternative to total erasure that opens the door for community-led solutions to save Dash Hall.

Time is of the essence to seek a dignified future for Dash Hall. Under the agreement:

🗓️October 31, 2026: deadline to submit relocation proposals to Ashley Hall
🗓️November 30, 2026: deadline to remove the building

📩 If you are interested in being part of the effort to save Dash Hall, please contact PSC.

09/04/2026

🚨Advocacy Alert: After Labor Day, big decisions are ahead next week. PSC is engaged with each project team behind the scenes, and we take seriously our role as an early advocate in the public process. Here’s what you need to know.

Swipe through for more details ➡️ and check our stories to submit comments before upcoming deadlines.

🎵 DASH HALL UPDATE
City Council | Tues., Sept. 8 at 5 PM | 80 Broad St.

🏗️ THREE PROJECTS SEEK CONCEPTUAL APPROVAL
BAR-L | Wed., Sept. 9 at 4:30 PM | 2 George St.

- NEW: MUSC Cancer Hospital
- BACK AGAIN: 989 Morrison Drive & 48-52 Line St.

On Wed., Sept. 9, the BAR-L will consider conceptual applications for three major developments — the phase of review when key decisions about height, scale, mass, and design are made.

09/03/2026

Carolopolis Spotlight:📍Hutchinson House, 2025 Exterior and Interior Award winner

The c. 1885 Hutchinson House is the last remaining 19th-century dwelling from the historic Clark Community founded after the Civil War on Edisto Island. Built by Henry and Rosa Hutchinson, it is one of the most significant surviving symbols of African American resilience and achievement during the Reconstruction Era.

After sitting vacant for three decades, the house was on the brink of collapse when it was acquired by the Edisto Island Open Land Trust in 2016. After immediately stabilizing the structure, the Land Trust team set out to restore the house to its original 1885 appearance guided by Hutchinson family members, preservation professionals, and historic photographs.

Funded in part through a National Park Service grant, the restoration included extensive research and careful reconstruction of missing elements. On the interior, skilled artisans painstakingly restored historic beadboard, flooring, stairs, and doors. On the exterior, the original terne metal roof was recreated in lead-coated copper, and the wraparound porch was rebuilt using traditional cedar posts. The home’s iconic Folk Victorian bargeboard was recreated using a single surviving piece as a template.

The Hutchinson House restoration was completed in 2025, and the PSC is honored to partner with the Land Trust in protecting this important heritage site through an interior and exterior easement.

Today, with support from the Mellon Foundation, work is underway to prepare for the house’s opening as a museum to interpret the Reconstruction-era African American experience on Edisto Island.

Owner: Edisto Island Open Land Trust
Project team: Artis Construction ; Butler Preservation ; EM Structural ; Hillary King; Huss Construction ; Piquet Roofing, Inc.; WLCC at Clemson University ; Young + Wales Architects

❗There’s less than 2 weeks left to submit Carolopolis nominations! Don’t miss your opportunity to showcase a memorable project and celebrate the work that makes Charleston special. Nominations are due Monday, September 14, 2026. 🔗 Link to submit nominations in bio.

08/29/2026

The Preservation Society’s 50th annual Fall Tours kick off in just a few short weeks! With nearly 40 unique opportunities to experience Charleston, we hope you join us for this milestone anniversary.

Visit 📍North Central, a streetcar suburb of kit homes and Craftsman-style architecture on our tours for the first time this year. View preservation work in progress at a 📍Hard Hat Tour on Sullivan’s Island. See 📍Broad Street in a new way as we explore the modern businesses and residences thriving in this more than 200-year-old commercial district. Hear the stories of the enslaved people who lived and worked at sites along Tradd and Church streets during the 📍Behind the Big House tour.

Exploring North Central Neighborhood // Oct. 10 at 2 PM
Sullivan’s Island Hard Hat Tour // Oct. 1 at 4 PM
Broad Street Commercial // Oct. 16 at 3 PM
Behind the Big House // Oct. 22 at 3 PM

​🎟️ Tickets are selling quickly. Reserve your spot today to experience Charleston’s history, beauty, and architectural heritage from a new perspective! Purchase tickets at 🔗 in bio and on preservationsociety.org.