Here’s an old photo in stereo, but what does it show? Can you tell anything else about it? Send to editor@charlestoncurrents.com. And don’t forget to include your name and the town in which you live.
Our previous Mystery Photo
Our Jan. 4 photo, “Big columns,” showed the Fireproof Building in downtown Charleston.
Congratulations to several readers who recognized the building, now home to the S.C. Historical Society: Chris Brooks of Mount Pleasant; Jay Altman of Columbia; James McMahan, Susan Highfield, Autumn Bennett, Brandon Reid, Kristina Wheeler of Charleston; Bill Segars of Hartsville; Marnie Huger of Richmond, Va.; Jane Bergen of Alexandria, Va.; Chuck Boyd of Hanahan; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas.
McMahan shared, “Designed by the architect Robert Mills and constructed 1822-27, it was built as a state building to house Charleston District records. The building was leased to the South Carolina Historical Society in 1955. It was recently converted to a jewel of a museum.”
Segars added, “Its construction was completed in 1826 as the first fireproof building in the US for the purpose of holding public records. It’s an all masonry building with the brick being laid by John Gordon and the stone being cut by James Rowe and John White.”
Huger also added, “A fire did eventually break out in the upper level, but records in the lower level were saved. Due to a better temperature controlled environment, records are now housed at the Addlestone Library at the College of Charleston. After an extensive renovation costing more than $6 million the new Museum of the South Carolina Historical Society opened in the fireproof building in September 2018.”
- Send us a mystery: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send it along to editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
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