Huguenot History Presented in New Kiosk at Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center
Renée Marshall, Director of Genealogy and Research at The Huguenot Society of South Carolina, with the newly installed interactive exhibit.
BERKELEY COUNTY, SC: On July 10, 2205, The Huguenot Society of South Carolina attended the opening of the newly installed interactive kiosk on the American Revolution at the Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center located at the Old Santee Canal Park in Berkeley County, SC. The kiosk is an extension of the exhibit “Revolution from the South” which opened in 2022. The Society assisted with content development by providing images and text on the four French Protestant (Huguenot) Churches in Berkeley County. From the Society: Jack Williams, President; Elizabeth Gay, Director; and Renée Marshall, Director of Genealogy and Research, attended the ribbon-cutting and received the thanks of Shanda Phillips, Board Chair and Chelsy Clark Proper, Museum Director. Also in attendance from the Society was member and Berkeley historian Keith Gourdin. From SC250, everyone enjoyed visiting with Brett Bennett, President, SC250 Charleston and sharing the excitement in the air as work for the 250th in 2026 is in full swing.
Opening Celebration
Renée Marshall, Elizabeth F. Gay of the Huguenot Society with Shanda Phillips, Board Chair and Chelsy Clark Proper, Museum Director.
The Ribbon is Cut
Shanda Phillips, Board Chair and Chelsy Clark Proper, Museum Director worked tirelessly for this moment. Congratulations and well done.
The 86 inch digital display is very educational and provides information on People, subdivided into Patriots, Loyalists, Enslaved, Soldiers and Women; and Places, categorized as Battles, Burials, Churches and Plantations. The kiosk is a touch screen that expands images and narratives for each topic and sub-topic selected. It is ADA compliant for physical access as well as an “audio” option for the text. Convenient QR codes may be scanned to help direct visitors further into Berkeley to see the sites they are reviewing. The Huguenot information is included in the “Churches” category.
Renée Marshall interacting with the kiosk to explore the French Protestant (Huguenot) content.
Also included in the kiosk is information on numerous “Soldiers” of Huguenot descent. The well-known Francis Marion is presented, as well as other lessor-known heroes and heroines. Mrs. Marshall noted “Descendants will very much enjoy this exhibit and seeing the history of their ancestors so well presented." As the exhibit grows over time, we expect more ancestors will be included as the Huguenot descended families of Berkeley have so many patriots who served in the American Revolution, many as part of Marion’s Men.
The kiosk shares information on who the French Protestant (Huguenots) were and the four granite cross sites in Berkeley County and what they represent. The cross sites are not easy to find and visit so this visual, interactive exhibit is a very accessible way for the Society to share the history it preserves with a wide audience. The Society is very proud to support the efforts of the museum and will continue to provide content and images as we share in the mission to preserve the rich history of the Huguenots and their descendants in Berkeley County.
French Protestant (Huguenot) Cross Sites
Part of the exhibit content presents the four Huguenot settlements in Berkeley and a gracious mention of the Society on each section displayed.
For those who would like to support the work of the museum, consider the Buy a Brick opportunity to memorialize your ancestor(s). The bricks are cut with text and installed in the entrance walk of the museum. Visit their website to explore further: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k2ExS-sxr1C3MtOn28KcnjGw1B6KKNAu/view
Buy a Brick and Support the Museum
Each brick is personalized as ordered and the bricks line the entryway to the Museum. Members are encouraged to Buy a Brick and help us line the entryway with our Huguenot ancestors of Berkeley!
In the Store
Visitors to the museum can learn more about the French Protestant (Huguenot) origins in Carolina and the cross sites with the purchase of our booklet in the museum store. Preserving the memory of our Huguenot ancestors is our mission and we thank the museum for helping us achieve this goal.
Congratulations to the Museum on this well-executed exhibit that will provide years of learning to visitors. The excitement is building for SC250 in 2026!
