National Register of Historic Places

Oaks, The

Frogmore, Beaufort County, South Carolina
Listed
October 5, 1988
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88001773

About this property

The Oaks, also known as the Cooler House, is a historic plantation house located on Saint Helena Island near Frogmore, Beaufort County, South Carolina. It was built about 1855, and is a two-story, vernacular frame I-House. Edward L. Pierce chose The Oaks as his headquarters during the military occupation of St. Helena during the American Civil War. The Oaks was the center for military and agricultural activities on the island. On June 18, 1862, Ellen Murray, who had ten days earlier arrived from Pennsylvania, opened the Penn School for Freedmen in a back room of the house. The house also served as a hotel for military personnel from Port Royal, superintendents, and teachers. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Location

Frogmore, Beaufort County, South Carolina
32.38929, -80.61984

Categories

MILITARYBLACKEDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Simmons, Robert, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Orange Grove Plantation
Listed
1.6 mi
Corner Store and Office, The
Industrial
2.5 mi
Green, The
Listed
2.6 mi
Penn Center Historic District
Civil War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Oaks, The listed on the National Register?

Oaks, The was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 5, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Oaks, The?

Oaks, The is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Oaks, The?

The period of significance for Oaks, The is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Oaks, The?

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