South Carolina's Annual
Historic Preservation Awards
Recognizing South Carolinians that work to preserve the state’s legacy that is reflected in our historic buildings, structures, and sites.
The Ellison Flour Mill, Fountain Inn (2025 Honor Award Recipient)
Program
Each year thousands of South Carolinians work to preserve the state’s legacy that is reflected in our historic buildings, structures, and sites. Since 1995, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Preservation South Carolina, and the Office of the Governor have recognized exceptional accomplishments in the preservation, rehabilitation, and interpretation of our architectural and cultural heritage with a series of statewide awards.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS (closed) | We invite you to nominate those individuals or organizations that represent the best of historic preservation in our state. Nominations submitted in previous years that were not selected to receive an award may be updated and resubmitted. Deadline: Nominations must be postmarked by May 1, 2026
The Honor Awards celebrate successful and exemplary historic preservation projects around the Palmetto State.
The Stewardship Awards recognize those who have ensured the ongoing preservation of historic buildings, structures, or sites through long-term care, planning, management, protection, or continuous ownership for a minimum of ten years.
The Preservation Service Awards recognize projects and activities that make exemplary contributions to the advancement of historic preservation.
The Heritage Tourism Award recognizes those who best use South Carolina’s cultural and historic resources in the documented development of tourism that directly benefits the preservation of our heritage.
The Elected Official Honor Award may be presented each year to an individual elected official in recognition of significant achievements or landmark efforts in the support of historic preservation in South Carolina.
The Organizational Excellence Award may be presented each year to a nonprofit organization or foundation, based or primarily active in South Carolina, whose collection of work demonstrates sustained achievements in the support of historic preservation in South Carolina.
The Governor’s Award may be presented each year in recognition of an individual’s significant achievements or landmark efforts in the support of historic preservation in South Carolina.
AWARD CATEGORIES
SELECTION PANEL
The selection panel that chooses the awards from the list of those submitted include:
A representative from the Office of the Governor * Preservation South Carolina Board Chair (or designee) * The Director of the SC Department of Archives and History (or designee) * A representative from the Board of the Preservation South Carolina * Two representatives from the SC Department of Archives and History * A representative of Preservation South Carolina’s Membership Program * A representative from the SC African American Heritage Commission * A representative from the Confederation of SC Local Historical Societies * A representative from the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
South Carolina Historic Preservation Award Recipients
Presented by
Historic Columbia
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Organizational Excellence Award may be presented each year to a nonprofit organization or foundation, based or primarily active in South Carolina, whose collection of work demonstrates sustained achievements in the support of historic preservation in South Carolina.
