“The Lucille Hasell Culp Collection - A Celebration of Beaufort, South Carolina” contains a selection of 300 images, primarily photographic negatives, from the much larger Lucille Hasell Culp Collection. Here one finds selected images of enduring historical value to Beaufort, such as those relating to community and military events, built structures that are no longer extant or greatly altered, iconic architecture, commercial activities, natural vistas, and daily life, 1941 – 1999. Most of the images were taken in the immediate area of the City of Beaufort, S. C. during from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

This collection consists mostly of the correspondence, with some related materials, of the Barnwell family of Beaufort and lowcounty South Carolina. Topics covered by various family members include the solace of religion; ministering in various Episcopal Churches in South Carolina (1830s-1860s); temperance; conflict and disagreement (1830s-1860s) with the Roman Catholic Church and Father John Fielding’s conversion to the Episcopal church; the sermons and opinions of Presbyterian minister James Henley Thornwell; St. Peter’s Church, Charleston, SC; religious missions to China (1830s-1840s) and Cuba (1845-1846), mentioning the smuggling of bibles there; student life at South Carolina College (1840s-1860s) and the University of Virginia (1850s); teaching at South Carolina College (1850s), with mentions of Dr. Francis Lieber and other faculty (1840s-1860s); travel along the East Coast, including visits to Monticello (1845), Weyers Cave, Salt Sulphur, Red Sulphur and other Virginia Springs; social life of women and men in Beaufort, Charleston, Columbia, Edisto Island, SC, and elsewhere; studying and travelling abroad, especially Germany (1850s, 1869); and other topics. There are brief mentions of various SC historians including Joseph Johnson, William James Rivers, David Ramsay and William Gilmore Simms, with a letter from historian Alexander Garden (1823) and one from Francis D. Hawks (1857); care of Civil War wounded in Virginia hospitals; a Columbia, SC, celebration for returning soldiers from the Mexican War; escaping from the Union forces that captured Jefferson Davis; cuisine in France; and other miscellaneous topics. Collection also includes Florida emancipation papers (1837) from a free person of color, George P. Cark, to slave George Swelly; and letters from Will Barnwell, a slave in the Barnwell family. The collection contains one letter (1846) from John C. Calhoun; a few (1847) from Christopher G. Memminger; and one (1865) from Eliza Fludd.

The Tarbox Family Collection features images of Georgetown County in the early 1900s. The photos, taken by Frank G. Tarbox (1856-1940), include images of the Tarbox family and their travels throughout the United States, of Willowbank Plantation and the first airplane flight in Georgetown in July 1911.

The South Santee Plantations Scrapbook Collection exhibits photographs from the early twentieth century shows life on two South Santee River plantations: Hampton and the Wedge. Hampton Plantation was owned by the Rutledge family, including Archibald Rutledge, Poet Laureate of South Carolina. The Wedge Plantation was built by William Lucas in 1826, and remained in the Lucas family until 1929. The third scrapbook features photographs from the nearby town of McClellanville. This small town, often called, "The Village", was started in the 1850s as a place for nearby plantation owners to escape the summer diseases that were a constant threat on the rice plantations. In the early 20th century, many of these families continued the traditions of their ancestors, traveling to "The Village" for the summer.

The Shuford Family Collection includes photographs of Robert Pou Shuford, his wife, Edna Butler Shuford, and his children. Shuford (1880-1941), served as Georgetown City Recorder, Police Chief, County Treasurer and owner of "Shufords Store" in Georgetown, SC. After his death, his widow, Edna, was appointed by the Governor of South Carolina to fill his position as Georgetown County Treasurer and would serve an additional four years in that position.