Community Spotlight: South Carolina Historical Society

What is the History of the Fireproof Building?

Constructed in 1826, the Fireproof Building was designed by Charleston-born architect Robert Mills. In order to create a building that resisted flames, Mills used stone and metal in place of wood. The brick vaulting on the interior carried the weight of the upper floors and eliminated the need for joists. The roof was clad in copper and all window sashes and frames were iron.

An impressive Greek Revival design made it the first public building in the city designed in that form. Home to the S.C. Historical Society since 1943, this iconic building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973.

Could You Tell Us About the Architect, Robert Mills?

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1781, Robert Mills was both an architect and an engineer. In 1820 he was named South Carolina’s Commissioner for Public Works and Superintendent of Public Buildings. He designed courthouses and jails throughout the state and the State Hospital in Columbia.

Despite the practical jobs these buildings performed, Mills made them beautiful by using classical Greek and Roman designs and building methods. He used his monuments and public buildings to portray the American Republic grounded in classic building styles. The Washington Monument, Treasury Building, and Smithsonian Institution in the District of Columbia illustrate Mills’ vision of progress and national unity.

What Exhibits Does the Fireproof Building Have?

The SCHS Museum is located in the Fireproof Building at 100 Meeting Street in Charleston. Drawing from the vast collections of the Historical Society, the museum features six interactive galleries and showcases more than three hundred years of the state’s history through artifacts, personal treasures, and handwritten accounts of those who experienced it.

Items include Francis Marion’s Powder horn, Charleston’s Slave Mart flag, and an award-winning film on the Charleston Renaissance.

Could You Tell Us About the Archives the South Carolina Historical Society Has?

The South Carolina Historical Society (SCHS) was organized in 1855 and is now the state’s oldest and largest private repository of books, letters, journals, maps, drawings, artifacts, and photographs. The holdings of the Society have long been acknowledged by scholars and students as an irreplaceable and inexhaustible resource of state, regional, and national culture.

The collection was moved in December 2014 to a state-of-the-art vault at Addlestone Library where it is maintained by the SCHS archival staff. The material is accessible to the public when the Library is open and some items are available on the Lowcountry Digital Library.

How Can Someone Become a Member and What Are the Benefits? 

Membership is available online at our website at www.schistory.org or in-person at 100 Meeting Street in Charleston. In addition to the satisfaction of helping to preserve the past for future generations, standard membership in the Society (which begins at $55) includes the following benefits:

• Access to the SCHS Museum
• Subscriptions to our 2 quarterly publications, the Carologue and the South Carolina Historical Magazine
• Online access to back issues of SCHS publications
• 10% discount in the SCHS Museum shop
• Discounts on reproductions and research services
• Discounted admission to lectures and events
• Access to over 300 museums and historic sites through the Time Travelers program.