Original blueprints of Darlington County Jail, now home of the Darlington County Historical Commission
History of DCHC
The DCHC was created in 1967 by the South Carolina Legislature to procure historical records relating to the county; to have care and custody of the archives of the county; and to mark historical cites. The Commission’s holdings of historical material had grown to such an extent by 1984 that its quarters were placed in the old County Jail building, renovated for its use. This building is located in downtown Darlington, just off the Court House Square at 204 Hewitt Street.
Archives
The Commission’s holdings include official county and municipal records; church and school records and histories; business and industrial records; records of clubs and societies; compiled land records (deeds, maps, plats); family records (correspondence, journals, diaries, etc); and newspapers. The Commission solicits the donation of historical material relating to Darlington County. Such gifts are tax deductible.
Fun Facts
- There have been a total of three County historians at the DCHC: Horace Rudisill (1968-2003); Doris Gandy (2003-2015); and Brian Gandy (2015-present). Doris served as the Assistant Director for many years alongside Mr. Rudisill, and Brian, Doris’s only son, has been coming to and working in the Commission since he was twelve.
- At the Commission, there are roughly 750,000 photographs, 50,000 negatives, 1 mile of flat stock documents, and one Bible that is over 373 years old.
- The Commission has been featured on a TV show that focuses on supernatural activity in buildings.
So come visit us at 204 Hewitt Street in Darlington. We are open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
We here at DCHC are dedicated to promoting the rich and varied history of Darlington County. So if you enjoy our posts, please Like us on Facebook by clicking here. And, by all means, follow our blog as well.
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One response
Interesting post. Kind of surprising that the DCHC only began in 1967, given the long and rich history of the area (very important Revolutionary War events, etc.). I’d love to see that Bible. Can it be handled? Are there personal entries/family history/births, deaths, marriages recorded, etc.? I really love that stuff. And the possibility of paranormal activity also stirs my interest. Thanks for the info!
–Mike