Below the cut is a list of all the online databases, archives and other stuff that could help with any South Carolina research you might be doing. This list is only a start and I'll update with more sources as I find them.
Original (Primary) Documents
SC Department of Archives and History - Only a very tiny fraction of SCDAH's holdings are online but you can find records for land grants, Civil War pensions, Will transcripts and more.
Chronicling America - Amazing digital archive of historic newspapers from across the country (including South Carolina) with a powerful search function that makes finding info easier.
University of South Carolina Libraries Digital Collections - There is a wealth of great historical research material available through the university's digital archives and new stuff is being added all the time. They have also partnered with other institutions and organizations (like the SC State Museum and the Fall Line Consortium) to digitize collections and host them on USC's website.
Richland County Public Library - Includes documents related to Columbia and Richland County history including Columbia City Directories and Obituaries.
South Carolina Digital Library - One stop site that brings together digital collections from libraries and archives across the state. Fantastic resource with search capabilities.
South Carolina State Library - The place to go for state agency records.
Lowcountry Digital Library - One stop site to search for primary documents from numerous lowcountry institutions, like: the Gibbes Museum of Art, College of Charleston, Beaufort County Library, Historic Charleston Foundation and many more.
York County History - Features photographs, obituaries and news articles from York County, SC.
Library of Congress - Great search function makes it easy to find South Carolina photographs, documents and maps.
Ancestry.com - Okay, this one does cost a few bucks but if you are doing a lot of research it is well worth it. I weep to think of all the the hours I spent hunched over a microfilm machine looking at census records while in grad school. With Ancestry's search function all you have to do is type in a name and date and click the button to find your subject. They also have birth/death records, newspaper articles, ship passenger lists and a lot more.
Museum Collections
Columbia Museum of Art - Nice database of highlights from their collection which lets you search by location, time period and medium. Includes work by SC artists like William Scarborough, Eugene Dovilliers and Augustus Grinevald.
Gibbes Museum of Art - Database offers a nice 'click and search' function that makes it easier to browse.
General Stuff
Google - NEVER underestimate the power of Google. Try narrowing your search terms to just Google Images or Google Books to help filter out results you are not interested in. You might be surprised at the number of history books available through Google Books and, believe me, you might be surprised by what pops us. True story: I googled my last name and "SC" only to discover that my great-great grandfather killed a man and was sentenced to life in prison back in 1903! So, Go ahead and give it a try.
SCIWAY - South Carolina Information Highway. The history section of this site offers great links to information and resources across the web.
SC County Map from Genealogy, Inc. - This map shows how counties developed and changed in South Carolina from the 1680s up to the present. I cannot impress upon you how awesome this thing is if you are trying to track a person through census records.
Historical Census Browser from the University of Virginia Libraries - Gives users the ability to look up census data from 1790 to 1960. You can narrow your search by year, location and category. It is a great time saver if you need to find demographic stats.
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