Mission
The Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University serves as the official repository for historically significant records that document the history of Winthrop University, the contributions of women, and the cultural heritage of South Carolina, with a particular emphasis on the Catawba Region (Chester, York, Union, and Lancaster counties). The Archives is dedicated to the preservation, protection, and accessibility of these materials for students, faculty, staff, alumni, scholars, and the broader community.
Through the stewardship of letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, organizational records, and rare books, the Archives ensures the documentation and preservation of Winthrop’s institutional history, including the achievements of its leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, and students. Additionally, the Archives maintains extensive collections that illuminate broader South Carolina history, including Civil War correspondence, plantation journals, World War II diaries, and oral history recordings.
Committed to fostering historical research and academic inquiry, the Louise Pettus Archives actively promotes its collections through educational programs, presentations, and community outreach initiatives. By providing access to these valuable resources, the Archives supports scholarly exploration and a deeper understanding of the region’s historical narrative.
Collection Scope
The Winthrop University Archives actively collects and preserves records that contribute to the historical record of South Carolina, with a focus on the following areas:
- Catawba Region History: Records of families, individuals, organizations, and businesses that have played a role in shaping the history of the Catawba Region.
- Women’s Contributions: Personal papers of women and records of women’s organizations that document their impact on the state’s history.
- Winthrop University History: Papers of Winthrop trustees, faculty, staff, and alumni that pertain to their professional activities or the university’s history.
- Other Historically Significant Materials: Records of historical importance that fall outside these categories but would otherwise be lost or destroyed without preservation efforts.
By maintaining and expanding these collections, the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections ensures that vital historical records remain accessible for future generations of scholars and researchers.
The Purpose of the Archives
The Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University is dedicated to preserving and providing access to historically significant materials that document the rich history of South Carolina, with a particular emphasis on the Catawba Region and Winthrop University. Our mission is to safeguard these invaluable records and make them available to researchers, scholars, students, and members of the community who seek to explore and interpret the past.
With a collection of over 1,800 archival holdings, the Archives houses personal papers from influential figures such as D.B. Johnson, Robert McFadden, Thomas S. Gettys, Mary Elizabeth Massey, Mary Frayser, Jesse Huey Laurence, Nolan Pliny Jacobson, and Juanita Goggins. Additionally, the Archives preserves organizational records from institutions and groups that have shaped the region, including the South Carolina Home Economics Association, the York County Democratic Party, the Episcopal Church Home for Children in York, the Perihelion Club of Rock Hill, and the South Carolina branch of the National Organization for Women.
By maintaining and providing access to these collections, the Louise Pettus Archives supports historical research, education, and public engagement, ensuring that the stories and contributions of individuals and organizations remain preserved for future generations.
Authorization Statement
*Ratified by the Winthrop Board of Trustees on January 29, 1977
The President and Board of Trustees of Winthrop University, a state institution chartered and supported by the state of South Carolina, recognizing the unique place the University has had in the history of the state, in higher education in the southeast, and the value of an archives in preserving a true and accurate history of the University, its alumni and their accomplishments and the institution’s place in the community, state and region, declare it to be the policy of the University to preserve its organic records of permanent value to document the origin, growth and future development of Winthrop as an institution of higher learning. It is therefore the duty and responsibility of all officers, members of the faculty, administrative and supervisory personnel and employees of the University to become familiar with and adhere to the following guidelines and regulations concerning records created in the conduct of University business and subject to the provisions of the South Carolina Public Records Act. (Statutes at Large, LVIII, 350-355).
