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2005
NCSHPO Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation
The South Carolina SHPOs Education
Programs and Projects as Components of Archaeological Mitigation
in the category of Educational Program or Project
for their innovative and exceptional preservation educational
program, curricula, publication, website or other informational
tool.
In the late 1990s, the South Carolina
State Historic Preservation Office took a critical look at the
public benefits of archaeological mitigation carried out under
Section 106. At that time, Memoranda of Agreements typically resulted
in excavations of archaeological sites, which were documented
in technical reports read by very few people. Mitigation involving
any type of public outreach was rare. In 2001, the Office began
a systematic plan to include a public education component in MOAs
for projects resulting in impacts to archaeological sites. Since
July of 2002, at least 32 MOAs have included a requirement for
public education.
The South Carolina State Historic Preservation
Office has successfully encouraged the development of a variety
of educational programs and projects through their review and
compliance program. They include: exhibits, historic sites, curriculum
materials, contexts, and public programs. In addition to the commitment
of the SHPO staff archaeologists, the enthusiasm and creativity
of consultants and the willingness of developers to embrace public
outreach activities as part of their mitigation requirements has
greatly enhanced this new approach.
One example:
The review of a proposed coastal resort project in Beaufort County
under the state’s Coastal Zone Management Program helped
lead to the purchase, protection, and interpretation of the site
of Altamaha, the head town of the Lower Yamasee. The entire site
was originally slated for development, but the South Carolina
State Historic Preservation Office insisted that at least part
of the site could not be mitigated by excavation alone and should
be preserved in place. The South Carolina State Historic Preservation
Office brought the developer and the staff of the Heritage Trust
program of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
together and worked closely with Beaufort County. In September
2004, Beaufort County completed the purchase of 100 acres of the
property in cooperation with the Heritage Trust. The site will
be dedicated as a heritage preserve and interpreted and made accessible
to the public.
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