US Custom House (Charleston)

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US Custom House (1958)

The US Custom House or US Customhouse is a former customs house in Charleston , South Carolina . Construction began in 1853 and was interrupted in 1859 due to rising costs against the backdrop of the looming secession of the state from the Union . After the civil war , construction was resumed in 1870 and completed in 1879. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1974 and is a Contributing Property to the Charleston Historic District .

Architectural competition

Original design of the building

In the tense pre-Civil War situation, the United States federal government believed that a new custom house in Charleston to replace the previous structure would send a positive signal to South Carolina. An architectural competition was held, and the winning design was endowed with US $ 300 . Ten applicants took part in the competition, including architects Edward Brickell White , Edward C. Jones and Peter H. Hammarskold from Charleston, and John S. Norris from Savannah , Georgia. Renowned New York architect James Renwick submitted his proposal too late and was rejected. The commission selected Jones' draft and submitted the plans to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, DC

Influence was exercised in the decision-making phase of the ministry. So Robert Mills sent his own plans to the Ministry. Eventually, Ammi Burnham Young was selected to create a new design that incorporated design features from four submissions. White was appointed executive architect. Jones, Hammarskold, Norris, and White each received $ 200 in prize money for their contributions.

The final plan comprised a two-story, cross-shaped building with a raised basement. It expanded 259 feet (79 meters) in an east-west direction and 152 feet (46 meters) in a north-south direction. The west and east wings contained porticas supported by Corinthian columns . The north and south wings were formed by porticos. Columns were set into the outer walls between the windows. A dome was also supported by pillars. The building should have an overall height of 160 feet (49 meters). With the exception of the change from the Doric to the Corinthian order of the columns and the dome, the structure corresponded to the Boston Customhouse , which Young had previously designed.

Construction phase before the Civil War

The property was purchased at Fitzsimons' Wharf at the intersection of East Bay and Market Streets and construction began in 1853 under White's direction. Because the construction site was marshland, 7,000 piers with a length of twelve meters were driven into the ground. A grid of lumber was laid over it and a thick layer of concrete was poured. The granite base of the building was completed on this foundation in 1855 . After the construction of the marble facades, the construction of the columns began in 1858.

In the United States Congress , there were 1,859 growing concern about a possible secession of South Carolina and the cost increases. Virginia Representative John Letcher called for construction to be suspended. William Porcher Miles defended the continuation of the construction with little enthusiasm, and so in 1859 no funds were approved for further construction. White suggested leaving out the expensive dome and replacing it with skylights . Since there was a possibility of war with the southern states, Congress only released funds to the extent necessary to protect the structure from wind and rain.

Construction phase after the Civil War

During the Civil War, the building was damaged by cannon fire. Construction continued in 1870. The marble was originally quarried in Hastings , New York. However, because this quarry was abandoned, new building materials were brought in from Tuckahoe , New Jersey. Alfred B. Mullett revised the construction plans. The dome of Young's original design has been replaced with skylights that overlook a two-story courtyard. Corinthian columns surround the gallery on the second floor, which is decorated with pilasters . The porticos on the north and south sides were probably converted into office space at this stage of construction.

The windows are rectangular and have cornices , as are the entrance doors. The upper edge of the building is completed by architraves and a frieze with a serrated main beam. The building has a flat roof with an open balustrade . The construction was completed in 1879. The total construction costs amounted to 2,806,000 US dollars .

Later story

The space under the former porticas may have been created when there was a shortage of office space after the Charleston earthquake of 1886 . Central heating replaced the wood and coal stoves in 1906, and electrical lighting was installed in 1910.

Until the 1960s, the Custom House was used by various government institutions. When it was threatened with demolition, local conservationists, with the support of Congressman Mendel Rivers, campaigned to preserve the structure. The inscription UNITED STATES CUSTOM HOUSE was engraved in the frieze above the western portico in 1964. Four years later, in 1968, about $ 212,000 was invested in restoring the structure.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c United States Customhouse, Charleston County (200 E. Bay St., Charleston) ( English ) In: National Register Places in South Carolina . South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i U.S. Customhouse (pdf; 751 kB) In: National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form . National Park Service. February 6, 1974. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  3. ↑ a b c d e Kenneth Severens: Charleston: Antebellum Architecture and Civic Destiny ( English ), ISBN 0783786727 .
  4. ^ A b c d Albert Simons, Thomas, WH Johnson: An Architectural Guide to Charleston, South Carolina: 1700-1900 ( English ). Historic Charleston Foundation, Charleston, South Carolina 197.
  5. ^ Edward Brickell White : Architectural drawings for alterations to a customs house ("US Custom House"), East Bay Street, Market Street, and Galliard Street, Charleston, South Carolina . Library of Congress. probably around 1853. Retrieved 2009-03-2009.
  6. ^ A b Beatrice St. Julien Ravenel, Carolina Art Association: Architects of Charleston ( English ). University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, South Carolina 1992, ISBN 087249828X (Retrieved March 29, 2009).
  7. ↑ US Custom House, Charleston, SC ( English ) In: Historic Buildings . General Services Administration. Retrieved on March 29, 2009.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.gsa.gov  
  8. ^ Alfred Bult Mullett : Architectural drawings for alterations to a government building ("US Custom House and Post Office"), Charleston, South Carolina . Library of Congress. circa 1870. Retrieved March 29, 2009.

Web links

Coordinates: 32 ° 46 ′ 50 "  N , 79 ° 55 ′ 37"  W.