Kay Rockett wrote:
> 
> Where is "THE" best place for research in Charleston? If you reply to
> this and are from Charleston, where is the best hotel or motel near the
> research facility and also with easy access to the historic area?

See http://members.tripod.com/~SCROOTS/travel.html for more info on traveling to
Charleston and South Carolina.

As to a hotel, if money is not an issue, there are dozens of hotels downtown in
easy walking distance to the SC Historical Society, Huguenot Society, Library
Society, and City Courthouse.  The SCRoom at the County Library on Calhoun is
also in walking distance if you aren't carrying too many books and papers. 
There is a convenient City Bus/Trolly that you can use also.  The facilities in
North Charleston or Sam Rittenberg will require a car or taxi ride.  

The "Best" hotels are also the most expensive.  Charleston Place at Meeting &
Market streets is centrally located, top quality, and upscale in price. 
Ansonborough Inn on Meeting Street is good.  Hawthorne Suites on Church Street
is good, Lodge Alley Inn is good, but don't take a room facing East Bay street
if traffic and people noises keep you awake.  On weekends the nightlife on East
Bay can be heard till about 3am.  Church Street Inn is good if you want a condo
style place with kitchen and living room.  Indigo Inn on Meeting Street is
nice.  

If you want a great experience, try to get a reservation at Two Meeting Street
Inn.  

The oldest grand hotel downtown is the Mills House on Meeting which is across
the street from SC Historical Society.  Mills House is a great location, has
excellent service and facilities, the rooms aren't as nice as the more modern
hotels like Charleston Place. But, you won't find anyplace better for
convenience to the SC Historical Society and Courthouse.

There are LOTS of good Bed & Breakfast Inns downtown if you want to get a nice
experience of life in Charleston.  

If price is a significant factor, there are dozens of regular hotels and motels
around the area.  The ones that aren't downtown are much less expensive.  If you
choose one of those, there is plenty of parking in City run parking garages
downtown near the research facilities.  

My recommendation is to spend the money and stay downtown.  That is the best way
to experience Charleston.  Charleston can be very hot and muggy in the summer. 
Fall, Winter, and Spring are more livable temperature-wise.  

Best place for research depends on what info you need.  Check the following web
pages.
http://members.tripod.com/~SCROOTS/faq7.html
http://www.ccpl.org/scr.html

-=-=-=-=-

South Carolina Historical Society
100 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Tel: 843-723-3225
FAX: 843-723-8584
http://www.schistory.org

Publications: South Carolina Historical Magazine and The Caralogue
Research Library Home to nationally renowned collections, the Society's holdings
reflect the passions, view points, textures, and tempos of the daily lives of
all South Carolinians. From pre-colonization to the present, there are the
writings of governors, generals, poets, farmers, and merchants; the letters and
diaries of women, soldiers, and travellers; the research of historians and
genealogists and the records of plantations and churches. Call to confirm that
the Research Library will be open before planning extended research trips to the
Society.

Research Catalogs of the South Carolina Historical Society
The catalogs of the the Society's SC Research Library have been updated and
upgraded. It is now possible to search.

     Manuscripts
     Genealogy
     Plats from the H.A.M Smith collection

The catalogs contain descriptions of SCHS holdings and not the document
themselves. For access to the information, visit the SCHS library in Charleston,
or submit a research request via the US Postal Service. Directions for
submitting research requests are available when viewing the online catalog
records.

-=-=-=-=-

The Huguenot Society of South Carolina
138 Logan Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Tel: 803-723-3235 (Area code changes to 843 on March 22, 1998)
FAX: 803-853-8476
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-2pm, closed holidays and last 2 weeks of December.
Publication: Transactions of the Huguenot Society of South Carolina
http://www.sc.edu/library/socar/mnscrpts/hugues.html

The society was established in 1885 and is dedicated to the preservation of the
history and genealogy of the members of the Protestant Reformation which took
place in France during the 16th century. The society maintains a library
offering resources for historical research and tracing of Huguenot ancestry. A
qualified librarian/archivist, genealogist, and registrar are available to offer
assistance. Members of the society as well as the public are invited to use the
library facility during business hours. A nominal fee is charged for use of the
library by non-members.

-=-=-=-=-

South Carolina Room     
68 Calhoun Street 
Charleston, SC 29403
http://www.ccpl.org/scr.html
843-805-6956
The mission of the South Carolina Room is to collect, preserve, and make
accessible materials on the history, including genealogy, of South Carolina.
Special emphasis is placed on Charleston and the Lowcountry. The Room is open
and assistance is available during all library hours. 

-=-=-=-=-

CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY 
164 King Street
Charleston, SC 29401 
Phone 843-723-9912 
Established in l748, this private, subscription library has a substantial
collection of reference materials on early South Carolina history. Manuscript
sources include family papers, letters, and diaries, and Charleston tax, land
grant, and church records. A non-member fee is charged to use the collection. 

-=-=-=-=-

CHARLESTON CITY ARCHIVES 
701 East Bay Street, Suite 348
Charleston, SC 29401 Phone 724-7301 
A new, but rapidly growing collection of official documents and memorabilia. 

-=-=-=-=-

CHARLESTON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 
4050 Bridge View Drive
North Charleston, SC 29405 
Phone 740-0801 
Death Records: l915 - date. Birth Records: City only, l877-l915. Persons may
apply for a copy
of record; may not search records. Fee: $5.00 for 1st copy. Also: For S.C.
"Birth & Death
Records", l915-date, apply to: Division of Vital Records, DHEC 2600 Bull Street
Call:
1-734-4830 For Fees Columbia, SC 29201 ($8.00 as of July l99l) Send: Name, date,
place of
death or birth. Restrictions in effect as to years since death/birth and
relationship to person at
both agencies. 

-=-=-=-=-

CLERK OF COURT OF COMMON PLEAS 
2144 Melbourne Avenue
N. Charleston, SC 29405 
Phone 740-5700 
Records of civil actions, l856 - date. 

-=-=-=-=-

JUDGE OF PROBATE 
2144 Melbourne Avenue
N. Charleston, SC 29405 
Phone 740-5890 
Marriage records, late 1800's - date. Wills, 1869 - date. 

-=-=-=-=-

REGISTER OF MESNE CONVEYANCE (Record of deeds between buyer and seller) 
2 Courthouse Square
Charleston, SC 29401 
Phone 723-6780. 
Deeds, l7l9 - date. 

-=-=-=-=-

FAMILY HISTORY CENTER LIBRARY/CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 
1519 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29407
Phone 843-766-6017. 
Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm 
Wednesday 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm 
Friday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 
First 4 Saturdays of month 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 
This is a branch of the world's largest genealogical library, the Mormon Library
in Salt Lake City, Utah. The branch will provide microfilm copies of materials
From the Salt Lake City collection for small postage and handling fee. The
branch also has the card catalog of the Salt Lake City collection on microfilm.

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