Preservation Signs of Charleston

“I saw the sign…but didn’t know what it meant.” That’s all right, we’ve done the search so you don’t have to. You might have spotted these around Charleston - but do you know what they represent?

Carolopolis

Awarded by the Preservation Society of Charleston, this awards significant, preservation-minded projects on historic homes throughout Charleston. There are multiple categories, including awards for restored exteriors, preserved interiors, and historically sensitive new construction.

You may also see laurels under Carolopolis plaques, and they indicate a Pro Merito award. These are for properties that earned a Carolopolis award at least twenty years ago, and have undergone another significant restoration or preservation effort.

National Register of Historic Places

These plaques indicate that the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has documentation that the site is historically, archaeologically, architecturally, or culturally significant. You might also see state-level signs as well.

Fire Insurance Marks

These indicated that a house was covered by private fire insurance. For owners, they could be a deterrent against arson and signaled to firefighters that the home was insured; for the companies they acted as a kind of advertising. You’ll see some that specify “restored,” too - indicating that the insurance company repaired the structure after a fire.

Historic Markers

Issued by the Preservation Society of Charleston, these signs tell some of the stories of buildings that are at least 50 years old, are the sites of important events that occurred at least 50 years ago, and have retained a high degree of historic integrity.

Easement Plaques

These signs indicate that a property has been placed under a preservation easement - that is, a tax-advantaged program that protects certain historical elements of the property from future changes. These could protect exteriors or interiors, and are legal agreements between the property owners and the Historic Charleston Foundation.

Have you spotted these around Charleston? Did you know what they meant? Join us on a walking tour to learn even more about these special sites and how they contribute to the city’s rich architectural history!