Roots & Recall’s genealogy and historical website continues to evolve and offer new features. Under the history and county map tabs on the menu bar, there are now new opportunities to enjoy historic maps and images. In Kershaw County’s R&R site, the photographic collections of a local 20th-century photographer are exhibited for identification. Likewise, under the Fairfield menu, images by photographer Van Center are on display. The Center Collection is one of our favorites and provides a beautiful display of random images from the early 20th century — mostly from Winnsboro, S.C.
The two attached links provide remarkable access to images rarely seem by the public. Though the focus of each is quite different, they individually offer a glimpse into history that is rather interesting.
Besides these images, each county also has a drop-down link to the S.C. school images shared with R&R by the S.C. Dept. of Archives and History. School images are not available in some counties, but most provide an array of images of rural schools operated by numerous local districts. Unfortunately, hundreds of African American parochial schools were not photographed as part of the state’s insurance program to document public schools across the state. Never the less, these images are a remarkable collection of some 2,600 photos that have survived and will be available on R&R. Enjoy the photographers’ images as well as those of the schools.
As you reminisce, please take time to also share your knowledge of these buildings and images with R&R, so we can post it on the website. It will also be provided with the appropriate institution that houses the originals. It is through sharing that preservation works, and R&R sincerely appreciates both the private and public sharing of these collections for the public to enjoy.