Santa Elena Program Series

The Santa Elena Foundation will present a special series of programs at the new Santa Elena History Center in downtown Beaufort starting in November 2015. Programs will include classes on such topics as archaeology and the evolution of 16th century maps; expeditions to the Santa Elena site; Spanish wines and tapas tastings; and the kid-friendly “Camp Dig It.” SC Humanities supported the development of the program series with a Planning Grant in September 2015.

Santa Elena was a Spanish settlement on what is now Parris Island that was the capital of Spanish Florida from 1566-1587. The mission of the Santa Elena Foundation is the discovery, preservation, and promotion of the “Lost Century” of European colonization through the international story of Santa Elena.

Through the Programs page of the Santa Elena website (www.santa-elena.org/programs), the public can see a full list of the classes and programs currently available. All program presenters are experts in their field, from Beaufort’s very own Dr. Larry Rowland to archaeologists Dr. Chester DePratter and Dr. David Moore. There are a wide variety of interesting programs to choose from and the catalog is growing every day. Programs are ticketed, and advance registration is encouraged as space may be limited.

“The Santa Elena Program Series will launch the Santa Elena History Center as being open to the public and filled with activities and learning opportunities,” says Dr. Andy Beall, Santa Elena Foundation Executive Director. “We invite everyone to join us and register for programs as we strive to better understand Santa Elena and the ‘lost’16th century. We are grateful for the volunteers, presenters and supporters that have made this program series possible.”

To learn more about the Santa Elena Foundation, register for programs, or offer support of this important cause, please visit http://santa-elena.org.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 23-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state.  It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually.