Historic Charleston Foundation
Historic Charleston Foundation
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About this organization
Mission
To champion the historic authenticity, cultural character, and livability of the Charleston region through advocacy, stewardship, and community engagement.
About
PRESERVATION SERVICES - HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION (HCF) IS ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORGANIZATIONS. FOUNDED IN 1947 BY A GROUP OF CONCERNED LOCAL CITIZENS, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES ITS IMPORTANT ROLE IN REVITALIZING CHARLESTON AND PRESERVING THE CITY'S HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND NEIGHBORHOODS. HCF IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE PRESERVATION ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.THE FOUNDATION CREATED THE NATION'S FIRST REVOLVING FUND FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, SAVING AND PROTECTING 140 HISTORIC STRUCTURES, AND STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF REVITALIZING ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS RATHER THAN JUST INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS. ITS ANSONBOROUGH PROJECT IS CREDITED WITH INSPIRING COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE NATION. THE FOUNDATION'S NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT INITIATIVE IS AN ARM OF THE EDMUNDS ENDANGERED PROPERTIES FUND (REVOLVING FUND.) ESTABLISHED IN 1995, THE GOAL IS TO BE A CATALYST FOR THE PRESERVATION OF ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS BY CREATING COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES AND REHABILITATING DETERIORATED PROPERTIES WITH ARCHITECTURAL MERIT, WHILE ALSO PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS. IN 2014, HCF PROVIDED FUNDING TO ESTABLISH THE ROMNEY URBAN GARDEN, A JOINT PROJECT WITH NEW ISRAEL REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH WHICH OWNED AN ABANDONED LOT IN THE NORTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE COMMUNITY GARDEN CONTINUES TO FLOURISH AS THE SITE OF COMMUNITY EVENTS TO INCLUDE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, POETRY READINGS AND PIZZA PARTIES, WITH PIZZA AND PIES MADE IN THE GARDEN'S COB OVEN. THE COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE CONCEPT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT HCF EXPANDED THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE WORK WITH LOCAL PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH A BOOK NOOK READING AND POLLINATOR GARDEN IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION ALSO IS KNOWN AS AN INNOVATOR IN HISTORIC EASEMENT AND COVENANT PROGRAMS. THE FOUNDATION HOLDS 452 EASEMENT AND COVENANT PROPERTIES, WHICH PROTECT HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THE CITY AND OUTLYING AREAS AS WELL AS 2,082 ACRES OF OPEN LAND OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE. PROPERTIES PROTECTED BY EASEMENTS AND COVENANTS HELD BY HCF ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE MAGNIFICENT WILLIAM GIBBES HOUSE IN CHARLESTON TO AULDBRASS NEAR BEAUFORT, SC, THE ONLY PLANTATION DESIGNED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. THROUGH ITS DEDICATED EASEMENTS MANAGER, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES TECHNICAL OUTREACH TO ALL OF OUR EASEMENT AND COVENANT PROPERTY OWNERS, HELPING WITH APPROPRIATE CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES FOR ISSUES RANGING FROM BRICK RE-POINTING TO WINDOW RESTORATION TO THE CLEANING OF ARCHITECTURAL STONE.HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION HAS AN ACTIVE ADVOCACY ARM THAT CONTINUALLY MONITORS AND ADDRESSES PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES ACROSS THE LOWCOUNTRY. THE PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT ATTENDS WEEKLY ZONING AND DESIGN REVIEW HEARINGS TO PROVIDE HCF'S POSITION ON PROJECTS, AND MEETS REGULARLY WITH PROPERTY OWNERS, DEVELOPERS, AND ARCHITECTS TO REVIEW THEIR PROPOSED PROJECTS AND PROVIDE INPUT. SPECIAL PROJECTS INCLUDE RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS AND ASSISTING THE CITY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRESERVATION POLICIES. IN 2018, THE FOUNDATION CRAFTED A NOMINATION FOR THE W. GRESHAM MEGGETT HIGH SCHOOL, RESULTING IN A LISTING TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER. THE SCHOOL IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT SERVED AS AN EQUALIZATION SCHOOL, BUILT IN 1933 AS THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON JAMES ISLAND. ADDITIONALLY, THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED A NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CIVIL RIGHTS GRANT TO DOCUMENT THE HISTORY OF MOSQUITO BEACH, WHICH WAS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN RECREATIONAL AREA ON JAMES ISLAND DURING THE SEGREGATION ERA. A SUCCESSFUL HISTORY HARVEST EVENT ALLOWED FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AT MOSQUITO BEACH TO RECORD ORAL HISTORIES OF THEIR EXPERIENCES THERE, SHARE OLD PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMENTOES AND TO RECONNECT. IN 2018, HCF PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE DRAFTING AND ADOPTION OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. AS A NUMBER ONE TRAVEL DESTINATION, SHORT TERM RENTALS WERE POSING A SERIOUS THREAT TO RESIDENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE. WORKING WITH A BROAD-BASED COMMUNITY TASK FORCE, HCF HELPED CRAFT THE ORDINANCE WHICH REQUIRES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A STR BE LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE. FLOODING AND SEA LEVEL RISE POSE SERIOUS THREATS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF CHARLESTON. IN THE FALL OF 2018, HCF PRESIDENT & CEO WINSLOW HASTIE WAS INVITED TO JOIN A DELEGATION OF CITY STAFF AND ELECTED LEADERS WHO TRAVELLED TO THE NETHERLANDS TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER THE DUTCH DIALOGUES PROCESS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE FIT FOR CHARLESTON. ULTIMATELY IT WAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DUTCH DIALOGUES PROCESS IN 2019. ONE OF THE MANY WAYS HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION SEEKS TO PROTECT CHARLESTON'S ARCHITECTURAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INTEGRITY IS THROUGH SCHOLARLY RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION. THE MARGARETTA CHILDS ARCHIVES INCLUDE HISTORIC BUILDING DOCUMENTATION, PHOTOS, DRAWINGS, AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT ARE USEFUL TO THOSE RESEARCHING HISTORIC CHARLESTON. THE ONLINE CATALOGUE CONTAINS RECORDS FOR 2,308 BOOKS IN THE FOUNDATION'S LIBRARY AND 7,030 ITEMS FROM THE ARCHIVES, MAKING THE FOUNDATION'S ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION ALSO IS AN ADVOCATE FOR ARCHAEOLOGY AND HAS SPONSORED INVESTIGATIONS AT ITS OWN MUSEUM HOUSES AS WELL AS PLANTATIONS AND OTHER HISTORIC SITES IN AND AROUND CHARLESTON. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGS HELP TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT CHARLESTON'S HISTORY THAT THE DOCUMENTARY RECORDS ALONE CANNOT PROVIDE. IN 2018, HCF WORKED WITH THE DEVELOPERS OF TWO HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT SITES, INCLUDING THE FORMER PINCKNEY MANSION SITE ON EAST BAY STREET TO AGREE TO, AND TO FUND, ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE SITES. THE ORIGINAL MANSION WAS BUILT IN 1746 BY CHARLES AND ELIZA LUCAS PINCKNEY AND FEATURED BLACK CYPRESS, DARK ENGLISH BRICK AND MARBLE. CHARLES PINCKNEY SERVED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, SPEAKER OF THE COMMONS AND ALSO CHIEF JUSTICE WHILE ELIZA IS CREDITED WITH INTRODUCING INDIGO AS A CASH CROP. ANOTHER IMPORTANT SITE, TWO BLOCKS SOUTH OF THE PINCKNEY MANSION, IS BELIEVED TO BE BUILT OVER THE ORIGINAL CITY WALL. INVESTIGATION OF THAT SITE IN ONGOING.
Interesting data from their 2020 990 filing
The purpose of the non-profit, as set forth in the filing, is “Historic charleston foundation's mission is to champion the historic authenticity, cultural character, and livability of the charleston region through advocacy, stewardship, and community engagement.”.
When discussing its purpose, they were characterized as: “Historic charleston foundation's mission is to champion the historic authenticity, cultural character, and livability of the charleston region through advocacy, stewardship, and community engagement.”.
- The state in which the non-profit is legally authorized to operate is SC, as reported.
- The filing confirms that the non-profit's address in 2020 was PO BOX 1120, CHARLESTON, SC, 29402.
- The form of the non-profit reports 159 employees as of 2020.
- Is not a private foundation.
- Expenses are greater than $1,000,000.
- Revenue is greater than $1,000,000.
- Revenue less expenses is $780,435.
- The organization has 31 independent voting members.
- The organization was formed in 1947.
- The organization pays $2,337,872 in salary, compensation, and benefits to its employees.
- The organization pays $277,303 in fundraising expenses.
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