EARLY SOUTH CAROLINA NEWSPAPERS
Charleston, South Carolina was founded around the year 1670 and was one of the major seaports on the East
Coast of the
United States in the early days of our country. Enjoying a fine natural harbor and a mild temperate climate, it
quickly became one of the premier entry points for persons immigrating into Colonial America.
The Early South Carolina Newspapers generally are considered to be those South Carolina newspapers that were
published in Charleston, South Carolina, starting in the year 1732 and continuing through the year 1782.
These early newspapers are known to hold a wealth of information for people interested in
pursuing research into Genealogy and Colonial/Early American History and provide us all
with an accurate glimpse of life in South Carolina and America during the early days of our
country. The titles and publication years of the early South Carolina newspapers are shown below.
Titles and Publication Years of the Early South Carolina Newspapers
South Carolina Gazette, 1732-1775
Gazette of the State of South Carolina, 1777-1780
South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal, 1765-1775
Charlestown Gazette, 1778-1780
South Carolina Weekly Gazette, 1758-1764
South Carolina and American General Gazette, 1764-1781
Royal South Carolina Gazette, 1780-1782
Royal Gazette, 1781-1782
The large majority of published editions of these early newspapers were physically kept and safeguarded for the
enlightenment of future generations and, today, the majority of these saved original issues of these newspapers
are owned and held by the Charleston Library Society in
Charleston, South Carolina. Other institutions and individuals, such as the South Carolina
Historical Society, for example, are known to have smaller physical holdings of the early
South Carolina newspapers as well.
Over recent years, these newspapers have been microfilmed to both insure their continued
survival for future generations and to allow this valuable national resource to be available to
researchers residing in other parts of the country.
Today, these early South Carolina newspapers may be found on microfilm in many Libraries
and Research institutions across the United States. Please refer to the Early SC
Newspaper Microfilm Holdings By State, to review an extensive listing of Libraries and Research
institutions across the United States that are known to hold these early South Carolina newspapers on
microform.
