State honors Moby Marks, SOS Charleston with SC Preservation Awards
Above: Julie O’Connor (center) stands with Eric Emerson (left) of the State Historic Preservation Office and John Hildreth (right) of Preservation South Carolina.
One of Charleston’s foremost experts in historic preservation and a recent citizen-led project to raise awareness for threatened historic buildings were among those honored at the S.C. Statehouse on July 30, 2026, for the 2026 S.C. Historic Preservation Awards. The awards recognize achievements that the Preservation Society of Charleston was proud to help nominate and support.
Richard “Moby” Marks was recognized with the Governor’s Award, the program’s highest honor, for more than 40 years of work as a skilled craftsman, mentor, and advocate for Charleston’s historic buildings. Moby and his team with Richard Marks Restorations, Inc., have led some of Charleston’s most significant preservation and restoration projects, including the Fireproof Building, Drayton Hall, Roper House (9 E. Battery), and many others.
Over the years, Moby’s projects have earned at least 22 of the Preservation Society’s prestigious Carolopolis Awards, which recognize exemplary local preservation work. The Governor’s Award is presented annually to recognize individual achievement in support of historic preservation in South Carolina.
“We are thrilled to see Moby Marks recognized for the prestigious Governor’s Award for his legacy of work in preserving Charleston’s architectural heritage,” noted Brian Turner, President & CEO of the Preservation Society of Charleston, who submitted a letter in support of Moby’s nomination. “As a craftsman, contractor, and mentor, he has played a critical role in saving historic buildings as well educating the next generation of building stewards.”
The Preservation Society was also proud to nominate nonprofit Save Our Structures Charleston (SOS Charleston), recipient of the 2026 Preservation Service Award. Led by local architectural designer Julie O’Connor of American Vernacular, the project first documented more than 150 historic properties that were at risk of being lost due to deteriorated conditions. With the threats to historic buildings intensifying, the survey was updated in 2020, 2024, and 2026, by a dedicated team of volunteers and interns that includes Julie’s daughter, Sarah O’Connor. In 2025, the Preservation Society supported efforts to transform the grassroots survey into an interactive map that is now publicly accessible at SOSchs.com.
Tools like SOS Charleston help educate the public and raise awareness of threatened vernacular architecture that is irreplaceable if lost to neglect, extreme weather, or illegal demolition. SOS Charleston documentation has proven integral to advocacy for historic structures across downtown, recently helping inform the reconstruction of an 1890s Freedman’s Cottage at 190 Line St.
“The SOS Charleston project provides critical data that helps our community connect preservation with housing solutions,” said Anna-Catherine Alexander, PSC Director of Advocacy Initiatives. “As programs like the PSC’s Carolopolis Awards prove year after year, vacant and at-risk historic properties can be brought back to life in ways that strengthen neighborhoods and support legacy homeowners.”
CHARLESTON LEADS ON PRESERVAITON:
As a testament to Charleston’s leadership in protecting historic places, seven of the 14 awards given at the 2026 award ceremony came home to the Lowcountry:
- 60 Meeting Street (Honor Award)
- Bennett Rice Mill Facade (Honor Award)
- Hutchinson House (Honor Award)
- Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue (Stewardship Award)
- The Footlight Players (Stewardship Award)
- Julie O’Connor/Save Our Structures Charleston (Preservation Service Award)
- Richard D. “Moby” Marks III (Governor’s Award)
ABOUT THE AWARDS:
Each year, the S.C. Department of Archives and History, Preservation South Carolina, and the Office of the Governor accept open nominations for its State Historic Preservation Awards across five categories: Honor Award, Stewardship Award, Preservation Service Award, Heritage Tourism Award, Elected Official Honor Award, and Governor’s Award. More information is available on the Preservation South Carolina website.
VISUALS:
Ceremony photos and information are available via Preservation South Carolina.
CONTACT: SAM SPENCE
[email protected]
843.722.4630 x 123