Stay connected with Historic Charleston Foundation for the latest updates regarding advocacy issues, new research, upcoming events and programs, and more ways to get involved with our mission-driven work.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Few colors carry as much history as indigo — and few places feel that weight more than Charleston. In “Indigo: Variations in Blue,” curator Tushara Bindu Gude, Ph.D., brings together eight artists to explore indigo as color, pigment, memory, and meaning inside one of the South's most extraordinary historic spaces: the preserved “as-found” Aiken-Rhett House c. 1820. Part of Historic Charleston Foundation's 2026 Festival and events, the exhibit runs from March 18–April 11.
HCF President & CEO Winslow Hastie weighs in on the Lowcountry's most pressing smart growth challenges — from the Point Hope development in Cainhoy to the proposed Charleston County Transportation Sales Tax. Read more about important issues including state concurrency legislation that ties large-scale development to infrastructure planning, development along the I-26 corridor, and more in this February's Winslow's Word.
Last week, representatives from Historic Charleston Foundation traveled to Washington, DC to participate in the 2026 National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, joining preservation advocates from across the country to meet with members of Congress and discuss policies that support historic preservation nationwide.
Advocacy Alert: You have until March 3 to make your voice heard. A variance request for a 12-story development on Morrison Drive is about more than one building—it's a test of whether Charleston will stay true to its own resilience and watershed planning goals. We're asking the Board of Zoning Appeals to say no, and we need you with us.
We fought hard to save a piece of West Ashley history — and we're not giving up. Learn why the 1930s USDA Vegetable Laboratory matters, what happened when City Council overturned the Design Review Board's decision to protect it, and what HCF is doing to make sure this doesn't happen again.
Before shrimp and grits became synonymous with Charleston cuisine, a free Black entrepreneur named Charles C. Leslie was reshaping the city's entire seafood industry. Born poor in present-day Mt. Pleasant in the mid-1800s, Leslie built a wholesale seafood empire, championed species once dismissed as “trash fish,” and became one of Charleston's wealthiest Black businessmen — leaving a legacy written into the city's food culture, its historic architecture, and the scientific record. This is his story.
South Carolina is the fastest-growing state in the country, and Charleston is feeling the pressure. Traffic is worsening, drainage systems are strained, and massive new developments — like the 9,000-acre Cainhoy project — are on the horizon. Concurrency policies ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with growth, protecting historic neighborhoods, natural landscapes, and taxpayers from the hidden costs of unchecked development. Learn why Historic Charleston Foundation supports state legislation that would give Charleston the tools to grow responsibly.
With Valentine's Day upon us, it seems like the perfect time for historic preservation groups to start talking about dating… materials, that is. When you're looking at a Charleston building for the first (or hundredth) time, how do you know for sure it is historic?
On Thursday, January 29th, Historic Charleston Foundation attended a public hearing held by the Public Buildings Reform Board (PBRB) at the Charleston Gaillard Center to discuss the future of several underutilized federal properties in the Southeast, including Charleston’s historic U.S. Custom House.
A historic Pitt Street Greek Revival home is now permanently protected through a preservation easement donated by David and Scottie Hoffman to Historic Charleston Foundation, ensuring decades of thoughtful stewardship endure for generations to come.
211 Rutledge Avenue (Fuel Cantina) is on the agenda of the January 20 BZA-Z Meeting to request a zoning variance, allowing a significant increase in density in the neighborhood. Why is this issue important? We break it down here.
City Council passed an amendment that allows Board of Architectural Review (BAR) purview when an applicant desires to have it within the Historic Materials Demolition District. That means that Upper Peninsula residents trying to preserve the historic character of their homes will have better tools to do so.
PRESS RELEASE: Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the 2024 Appropriations Acts to support its Common Cause Loan Fund.
While we support MUSC’s mission and recognize the potential benefits to our healthcare system, we must also protect Charleston’s unique character. Responsible development is key to preserving the charm and livability of our city. Read the latest update about the MUSC Overlay District.
In support of HCF's easement and covenant program, HCF was joined by Kemp Lewis, preservationist and dedicated homeowner, and Brittany LaVelle Tulla, Architectural Historian and Owner of BLV Preservation, for a program unpacking rehabilitation tax credits. Learn more about this underutilized resource with our takeaways and the session's presentation.
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
