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Historic Charleston Foundation is an advocacy organization advancing the mission of historic preservation. As historic preservation has evolved into more than a movement to simply save historic buildings, the Foundation has broadened its scope into balancing the needs of modern society with protecting the sensitive fabric of the historic district.
Communities must be vibrant to survive. With vibrancy comes inevitable growth and development. Our mission is to address modern society’s needs – mobility and transportation, tourism, livability and growth – while protecting and preserving the architecture and material culture of Charleston and its Lowcountry environs. Historic Charleston Foundation champions the historic authenticity, cultural character and livability of the Charleston region through advocacy, stewardship and community engagement. The Foundation envisions a livable Charleston that honors its historic places, its people and its culture.
Pictured Above: Deborah Edwards on the porch of her newly renovated Freedmans Cottage in the North Central Neighborhood. Through its Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, HCF and the City of Charleston preserved this historically significant structure.
We advocate for all neighborhoods, parks, gardens, historic buildings and the memories they’re made of – and help make the vital decisions that move us all forward.
Why We PreservePreservation in Action
Archaeological digs help answer questions about Charleston’s history that documentary records alone cannot provide.
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We’ve been at the forefront of efforts to protect the nationally significant historic Ashley River Corridor and lead the expansion of the National Register-designated Ashley River Historic District from approximately 7,000 to 24,000 acres.
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We were the first organization in the country to develop a revolving fund as a preservation strategy.
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To protect the cultural character of our neighborhoods, we’ve embarked upon a housing affordability initiative.
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Easements are a successful tool that help protect a historic property by safeguarding its historic character, materials and significance.
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The goal of the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative is to stabilize neighborhoods by securing the future of their historic structures and community.
Read MoreAiken-Rhett House & Nathaniel Russell House
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Join us for a night of colonial mixology! Carin Bloom, Historic Charleston Foundation's Manager of Education, will teach guests about unusual cocktails from Charleston's past. The class will offer light...
Buy TicketsFamilies and explorers under the age of 10 (with a guardian!) are invited to join Naturalist Andrew Shuler for an expedition around the Nathaniel Russell House gardens and landscape! Borrow...
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Since 2013, Charleston has benefited from the attention and resources of those who pioneered and participated in Women Who IMPACT Preservation, an event that raises money for community initiatives identified...
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This small notepaper from the Hotel Ritz in Paris is one of the tiny treasures in the Margaretta Childs Archives. The massive campaign for the Edmunds Revolving Fund in the…
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Over the last year Historic Charleston Foundation has been working on a project to document one of our historic house museums, the Aiken-Rhett House, using 3D laser scanning. The laser…
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ADVERTISE IN HCF’S 2023 FESTIVAL OF HOUSES & GARDENS BROCHURE AND/OR PROGRAM Historic Charleston Foundation is excited to announce planning has begun for the 76th Annual Festival of Houses and…
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