The Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History's Special Collections unit is charged with preserving and providing access to books and archival materials that describe the history and culture of Southeast North Carolina.
Southeast North Carolina Collection (SENC)
Special Collections houses the region's most comprehensive collection of research materials on Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow, and Sampson Counties.
Manuscript and Unique Research Collections
Currently numbering over 400 separate manuscript, photograph, and audiovisual research collections. These collections includes family and personal papers as well as business records and the records of organizations. Some of our most important and most often consulted collections include:
- St. James Episcopal Church Records
- Mike McIntyre Congressional Collection
- Alton Lennon Congressional Collection
- WWAY Television News Archive
- Heyward Bellamy Papers
- North Carolina Visual Art and Artists Collection
Book Collection
We acquire books focusing on the history, culture, society, and natural environment of Southeast North Carolina. Our book collection also includes works of fiction authored by authors from Southeast North Carolina.
Other Collections
History of Science Collection
Donated in 2000 by the estate of Dr. Ralph W. Brauer, this collection of books and monographs represents the best of written scientific thinking from circa 1750 through 1950.
History of Medicine Collection
A generous donation from Dr. H. William Gillen of over 1500 books and monographs in 1999 made this collection possible. The items in this collection documents the history of medicine from about 1600 to today. Specializing in Neurology, the collection features many rare and one-of-a-kind books.