Preservation Society of Charleston

Celebrate Carolina Day with us on Saturday, June 27th and enjoy a 10% Discount on our great selection of Revolutionary and Colonial period Books.

Carolina Day celebrates the first major and decisive victory of Patriots over the British during the Revolutionary War.



The Preservation Society Book & Gift Shop is located at... 147 King St. (corner King & Queen) in historic downtown Charleston. Our store hours are 10am-5pm Monday through Saturday. For more information, please call Cynthia Setnicka at 843-722-4630. Shop for Books on line at www.preservationsociety.org click on Book & Gift ShopRead More

Antiques of the Indies hosted a benefit book party for Susan Sully’s newest book, The Southern Cosmopolitan: Sophisticated Southern Style on Thursday, May 7, 2009 from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm at 164 Market Street, Charleston, South Carolina. There was a silent auction for an antique map of the Indies and book sales to b...enefit the Preservation Society of Charleston.

The Southern Cosmopolitan: Sophisticated Southern Style is Susan Sully’s eighth book about regional style, and sixth about Southern style. Her latest release builds upon her books about Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans—all venerable Southern cities with long traditions of sophisticated architecture and design. Marrying trans-Atlantic influences from England, France, and Spain—and by virtue of these countries’ trade patterns, the Indies, China, and Africa, these cities are global and urbane in their tastes. This book celebrates these aspects of Southern style, as well as its residents’ love of the past and penchant for fine antiques. Finally, the volume brings to light Southerners’ love of the new and taste for cutting edge style. Three houses from Charleston demonstrating these attitudes are included in the book.

Susan Sully and Ann Silliman hosted the book party with proceeds from book sales and a silent auction of an antique map of the Indies to benefit The Preservation Society of Charleston. A devotee and passionate spokesperson for Charleston’s historic architecture and decorative arts, Susan wanted the event to promote awareness of the Society’s important work and raise funds. The party’s hosts Ann and David Silliman join Susan in these sentiments. The Sillimans’ newest venture, Antiques of the Indies offers rare 18th and 19th century furniture and decorative arts from the East and West Indies. These regions include once remote outposts in India, Africa, The Caribbean, and beyond. From Havana to Bombay, Nairobi to Barbados, in breezy plantation houses and military campaign tents, England, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain expanded their rule by creating far-flung colonies, bringing with them a flare and style unique to their homelands. These regional influences inspired the design and style of furniture and art created during this intriguing period of history. Antiques of the Indies is one of only a few enterprises in the world focusing solely on this combined genre of colonial decorative arts and antiques. It is located at 164 Market Street in Charleston. Read More

On Saturday, June 20th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon Holly Herrick will be signing copies of her latest book: Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, in the Preservation Society of Charleston's Book and Gift Shop located at 147 King Street. There is no charge and this event is open to the public.

About Her Book:

The time to eat heal...thy and buy locally has arrived. Buying at farmers markets means getting better, fresh-picked produce that leads to amazing home-cooked meals.

Southern Farmers Market Cookbook teaches how to enjoy shopping at local markets and gives instruction on what to look for and what's to be expected to make the experience more fulfilling and fun.
More than 75 seasonal recipes show how to take these tasty fresh foods from market to table in mouthwatering ways. Try the crisp Butter Bean and Grape Tomato Brushcetta, the sweet Wild Honey-Glazed Carrots with Mint and Green Onions, the savory Wine-Poached Salmon with Cucumber Crudite Sauce, and the luscious Warm Wild Cherry Carolina Gold Rice Pudding.

While Southern Farmers Market Cookbook features produce grown in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee, many of the same foods can be purchased locally in most areas of the country.

A long-time restaurant critic and features writer for Charleston's only daily newspaper, the Post and Courier, Holly Herrick has garnered multiple awards for food writing. A graduate of Boston College and recipient of Le Grande Diplomein pastry and cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, Holly is a certified chef who puts her palate, creativity, and experience to use in manifesting tasty recipes using the freshest produce available throughout the growing season. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
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On Monday, May 18th the Preservation Society invited our volunteers to a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration held at the Charleston Maritime Center. Guests enjoyed a light dinner catered by local favorite, Jim ‘N Nick’s Barbeque and delicious desserts by Marjenhoff’s Bakery. Despite the unseasonably cool and rainy wea...ther, all attending enjoyed the cozy atmosphere inside the Maritime Center, brightened by beautiful flower arrangements donated by the Charleston Flower Market. While the food was delicious, the Maritime Center welcoming, and the atmosphere just right, it was truly the enthusiasm of the volunteers attending who made this a wonderful celebration! For the Preservation Society, the volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization, and we were excited to celebrate them that night.Read More

The Preservation Society of Charleston hosted a panel discussion featuring “The Early Cultural Landscape of Marion Square: An Architectural and Historical Study” on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the Charleston Museum. The Society welcomed Jonathan H. Poston and Ashley Robbins from the Department of Planning and L...andscape Architecture’s joint graduate program in Historic Preservation of Clemson University School of Architecture and the College of Charleston. They presented and moderated the discussion with a select group of graduate students from the Masters of Science in Historic Preservation program. Students participating were Meagan Baco, Jeremy Bradham, Laura Burghardt, Emily Martin, Bridget O’Brien, and Matthew Pelz. A reception with light refreshments followed the lecture. Read More

The Preservation Society of Charleston held its Spring 2009 Membership Meeting and Lecture on Thursday, March 12, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at The Charleston Museum. The Society welcomed guest speaker Louis Nelson, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Architectural History at the University of Virginia. Dr. Nel...son presented and signed his book, The Beauty of Holiness: Anglicanism and Architecture in Colonial South Carolina. A reception with light refreshments followed.Read More

On Sunday, April 26, 2009, the Preservation Society conducted a tour of nine historic houses in one of Charleston’s most unique historic neighborhoods. Hampton Park Terrace, located adjacent to both the Citadel and beautiful Hampton Park, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 for its unusual co...ncentration of well-preserved early 20th century houses and bungalows. All nine historic houses contribute to the National Register Historic District. The tour was great fun!Read More

The Preservation Society of Charleston is pleased to announce the unveiling of our New Look in the Book & Gift Shop!

Please join us for a Celebration Sale & Party on May 28th from 5:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. All attendees will receive a 10% discount on all purchases.* (Preservation Society of Charleston Members will receive a...n additional 10% off, allowing for a total discount of 20% on all items) In addition, many other items will be on sale at increased discounts up to 50% off the original price.

May is National Historic Preservation Month – Please come out to support the oldest membership-based preservation advocacy organization in the nation during this special event! Wine and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The Preservation Society of Charleston Book & Gift Shop
147 King Street
Charleston, South Carolina

For more information, please contact Cynthia Setnicka at 843.722.4630 or csetnicka@preservationsociety.org

Please note that all purchases in our shop are exempt from Sales Tax.

* Sweetgrass baskets are excluded from this sale
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The Preservation Society of Charleston will host a country afternoon at Auldbrass Plantation, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright c. 1939 on Saturday February 21, 2009. This fundraiser will benefit the programs of the Society, including Heritage Education, Easements and Covenants, Preservation Planning and Advocacy. The a...fternoon will include guided tours of the main house; self-guided tours of the outbuildings, grounds and gardens; lunch, music and drinks.

Auldbrass Plantation was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1939 and built between 1940 and 1951. Mr. Wright’s design is a blend of traditional plantation architecture and the natural environment of the South Carolina lowcountry. The complex consists of the main house, two guest cabins, stables, kennels barns, playroom/guest house, manager’s office, aviary and swimming pool.

The walls of Auldbrass are native cypress that slant inward at an 80 degree angle to reflect the angle of the indigenous live oak trees. On the exterior corners, designs for the downspouts symbolize Spanish moss. The clerestory windows contain Mr. Wright’s “tip of the hat” to the Yemassee Indians who once lived in that area.

Originally part of a 1731 Royal Grant, the land was acquired in 1864 by Williams Middleton, owner of Middleton Place, and his wife Susan Pringle Smith Middleton. It was in this deed that the land was first referred to as “Old Brass.” C. Leigh Stevens, who commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright for the design, acquired the property in the late 1930’s and selected the site for the buildings. After Mr. Steven’s death in 1962, the plantation passed to his only daughter, Jessica Stevens Loring, who placed 362 acres on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Auldbrass was purchased by its current owner, Joel Silver, in 1986. Mr. Silver, a longtime admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright, has meticulously restored this important plantation complex.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit our website at www.preservationsociety.org or contact the Preservation Society of Charleston at (843) 722-4630.
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Over two dozen distinguished Society member authors' works were showcased, with genres including historic preservation, architecture, social and cultural history, gardening, natural history, biography, culinary arts, children’s literature, and military history.

The annual holiday book signing has become one of King St...reet's most popular events, and always features complimentary appetizers and wine donated by some of Charleston's finest restaurants!Read More