Charleston, United States of America
Founded in 1920, the Preservation Society of Charleston is the oldest community-based historic preservation organization in the United States. Susan Pringle Frost founded the organization, first known as the Society for the Preservation of Old Dwellings, in 1920 along with a small group of friends.
The group met on April 21, 1920, at 20 South Battery (home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Pringle) and voted to try to save the circa 1803 Joseph Manigault House which was slated for demolition to make way for a gas station. In 1931 the Society was instrumental in persuading Charleston City Council to pass the first zoning ordinance enacted to protect historic resources. The ordinance established the first Board of Architectural Review and designated a 138-acre (0.56 km2) "Old and Historic District". The ordinance limited alterations to the exteriors of historic buildings and made provision for prosecuting violations. In 1957 the Society took on its current name to reflect an expanded mission to protect not only dwellings but all sites and structures of historic significance or aesthetic value. The Society has sought to fulfill its mission through programs that focus on preservation education...
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