Red Top Park in Charleston gains permanent protection

Red Top Park, a part of the Red Top neighborhood in Charleston, now has the permanent protection of Lowcountry Land Trust. 

The park was established by formerly enslaved people and their descendants, with the community serving as a symbol of resilience, heritage and shared identity, according to a news release. The space will remain publicly accessible. 

The park is on the former site of Red Top Rosenwald school, which was constructed in 1927 as part of a project that provided about 5,000 schools for Black children in rural, southern areas, according to Smithsonian magazine. 

“This protection ensures the property will continue to serve the local community as it has for the last 100 years,” Sam Seawell, community lands director at Lowcountry Land Trust, said in the release. “Owned and operated by the Red Top Improvement Association, this community-owned land will not only preserve the existing park but also lay a path forward for its continued prosperity. It will provide a truly unique, publicly accessible open space that features cultural and historical interpretation highlighting the significance of the property and the Red Top community.” 

In addition to Lowcountry Land Trust, a nonprofit which protects landscapes and waterways in the region, the conservation of the park was led by the Red Top Improvement Association and its president, Melody Dover, the release said.  

Funding for the conservation project came from the Charleston County Greenbelt Program and the South Carolina Conservation Bank, the release said. Conservation Voters of South Carolina also played a role in the protection. 

“The Red Top Community extends heartfelt gratitude to our fellow nonprofit partners: Charleston County Greenbelt Program, South Carolina Conservation Bank and the Lowcountry Land Trust whose generous support has helped secure the future of the Red Top Park—a cherished space that holds deep historical significance and collective memory for generations within our Black Settlement community,” Dover said in the release. “This park is more than green space—it is a living testament to our heritage, resilience, and the stories that have shaped our identity. Through collaboration and shared commitment of these organizations, we are able to protect this landmark for future generations and ensure it remains a place of reflection, celebration, and inspiration.”