The Charleston City Archives holds extensive records from various city departments, supporting historical and contemporary research. These records document the City’s organizational history and offer insights into Charleston’s social, political, and economic past.
In 2002, the City transferred several older collections to the Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) for easier public access. A list of these records is available on the library’s website.
The Archives Center at 2 George Street allows researchers to schedule appointments to view many records. However, some research requests may require processing through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
City Council records include Council, Committee, and Board meeting minutes from 1790 to 2015, Special Committee, Subcommittee, and Public Hearing meeting minutes from 1886 to 2015, City Council Minute Books from 1865 to 1908, and more.
Executive and legislative records include Mayoral Records from 1879 to the present, Mayoral Scrapbooks from 1931 to 1999, the Code of Ordinances of the City of Charleston from 1783 to the present, and Ordinances, Resolutions, and Proclamations from 1800 to 2023.
Departmental records include Business License Registers, Street Lists, and Applications from 1872 to 2015, Clerk of Council Encroachment and Right-of-Way Records from 1933 to 2019, City Architect Records from 1972 to 2007, City Assessor and Finance Department Records from 1884 to 1960, City of Charleston Engineering Department Records from 1867 to 1979, Fire Department Records from 1848 to 1979, Public Service Department Records from 1916 to 1983, Sewer Department Records from 1892 to 1916, Surveyor Department Records from 1813 to 1916, and Zoning Board of Adjustment Records from circa 1984 to 1999.
General research files provide overviews of a particular topic, person, or location significant to the City, including Businesses, City Streets, Events related to Charleston History, Historic Buildings, Organizations, and Notable People.
Records of the Charleston Orphan House were transferred to CCPL’s South Carolina Room in 2002, where the records were processed and opened to researchers. Access to these records is restricted until the records reach seventy-five years of age to protect the privacy of former residents.
Land and property records include Building Permits from 1932 to 2016, Certificates of Occupancy from 1978 to 2015, Elevation Certificates from the 1980s to the present, Housing Photographs circa 1989, and Maps and Plats from 1698 to 1989. Thanks to the Charleston County Register Of Deeds (ROD), digital images of over 800 archival maps and plats, many drawn by the City Surveyor or City Engineer, are available online. The City does not retain architectural drawings for private property beyond one year after a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Publications and Printed Materials include the Charleston City Year Book from 1880 to 1951, the Broadside Collection from 1782 to 1991, and Plans and Studies from 1895 to 2009. Many public records commonly requested from the City Archives are actually issued by other governmental agencies.
