Heritage Library Foundation

06/05/2026

What if you could see history from the exact spot where it happened?

This summer, the Heritage Library is taking you out on the water for a narrated Revolutionary War history cruise aboard the Vagabond. Cruise the very marshes, shorelines, and waterways that shaped America's fight for independence with costumed docents, Lowcountry views, and stories you won't hear anywhere else.

Only 4 dates this summer, so don't miss it! Reserve your seat now!

Experience 1776 From the Waters of Hilton Head Hilton Head Revolutionary War History Cruise Step Back Into 1776 Aboard Vagabond Cruise Get Your Tickets Now Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary with an unforgettable journey through the waters of history aboa...

06/04/2026

As our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, preserving local history has never been more important.

This Giving 4th, Heritage Library invites you to join the America250 Giving 4th initiative and support the preservation of the people, places, and stories that shaped our community.

Join the movement and give today and please consider supporting The Heritage Library at: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/582332014

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, The Heritage Library honors the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

We remember their courage, their sacrifice, and the families who carry that loss every day. Their stories are part of our shared history, worth preserving, worth speaking aloud, and worth passing on.

Today, we pause with gratitude and respect. May we never forget what was given so we could live in freedom.

05/18/2026

South Carolina’s new Heirs’ Property Tax Relief Act, enacted in May 2026, is a major win for families working to clear generational titles. It stops county assessors from treating these family-to-family deed transfers as an “assessable transfer of interest” that would otherwise trigger a steep property tax jump.

Key details of the Tax Relief Act:

• Tax protection: In the past, when heirs transferred property among qualified family members to formalize ownership and clear title, the county could reassess the property at today’s market value—often causing property taxes to spike. This law removes those title-clearing transfers from reassessment triggers.

• Eligible parties: The protection applies to “qualified family members” related by blood, marriage, or adoption who share a legal interest in the property and are taking steps to put the title in order.

• Partitioning: If clearing the title involves dividing (partitioning) the property, the newly created parcels still receive the same tax protection and are assessed using proportional values.

• Scope: This exclusion is tied to the property being heirs’ property. Once the title is formally cleared and the land no longer qualifies as heirs’ property, the special reassessment exclusion ends.

The Clementa C. Pinckney Uniform Partition of Heirs’ Property Act:

Tax relief is only part of the picture. South Carolina also passed the Uniform Partition of Heirs’ Property Act in 2017, providing essential safeguards against forced, predatory sales. Important protections include:

• Right of first refusal: If one heir seeks to force a sale, other family members get the first chance to buy that heir’s share at fair market value.

• Fair market appraisals: Before a court can order a sale, it must require an appraisal to establish true fair market value.

• Alternative partitions: When feasible, the court can order a fair division of the property among family members instead of pushing a full sale.

The Heritage Library’s Heirs Property Family Research Project has been working alongside families in Beaufort County—helping them build family trees, identify heirs, and take the first steps toward clearing generational titles. Many thanks to everyone for the dedication and determination it takes to support South Carolina families through this process.

05/07/2026

Looking for a quick tip for tracing Scottish roots?

Start by pinning down the *exact Scottish parish* your ancestor came from using U.S. records. Things like death certificates, obituaries, and naturalization papers are often the most helpful (and you can usually find them on Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/en/united-states/) or Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/).

Have you checked for a birthplace that shows up as more specific than just “Scotland”?

Once you’ve identified a town, parish, or at least a county, head over to Scotlands People (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/) to search births and parish registers—the go-to source for Scottish ancestry research.

05/01/2026

One of the earliest and most widely recognized forerunners of Decoration Day—what we now call Memorial Day—happened on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. Freed people and missionaries came together to honor 257 Union soldiers who had died in a Confederate prison. They gave the men a proper reburial, adorned the graves with flowers, and marked the moment by celebrating their hard-won freedom.

04/14/2026

April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization, always showing up with incredible passion, energy, and dedication in all they do. By so generously sharing their time and talents, they expand our reach and make it possible for us to carry out our mission of serving the community.

To everyone who volunteers at The Heritage Library and across our community, our heartfelt thanks.

04/05/2026

Happy Easter from The Heritage Library. Wishing you a peaceful day filled with hope, renewal, and meaningful moments—whether you’re celebrating with family, friends, or a quiet good book.

04/02/2026

Please support the Art League of Hilton Head—our community partner—by getting behind the Plein Air Paint Out 2026 event.

Come capture the beauty of the Lowcountry during Art League’s inaugural Hilton Head Island Plein Air Paint Out, happening April 9–10, 2026. This two-day outdoor painting experience invites artists to paint on location at remarkable spots across Hilton Head Island, including The Heritage Library’s historic Zion Cemetery & Baynard Mausoleum—an important 19th-century burial site with early settlers’ graves, located at the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews Drive.

This Plein Air Paint Out is a celebration of the area’s natural landscapes, coastal light, and one-of-a-kind sense of place.

Register at: https://www.artleaguehhi.org/plein-air/

&Mausoleum

03/31/2026

Honoring South Carolina Women in History:
A Charleston native, Anna DeCosta Banks helped break new ground in nursing. She became the first head nurse at the Hospital and Training School for Nurses, a segregated institution created to train Black nurses. Her impact still resonates today—one wing at the Medical University of South Carolina proudly bears her name. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re proud to recognize Anna DeCosta Banks as a South Carolina Women Make History honoree.

Image courtesy of aaregistry.org