South Carolina State House, Capitol Square, Columbia

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS SC,40-COLUM,9-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

State Capitol Building PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION In the South Carolina General Assembly appointed commissioners "to purchase Land for the Purpose of building a Town, and for removing the Seat of Government thereto."1 The decision hag been made to re- move from Charleston to a more central location, and by December, the government public offices were moved to Columbia. On January 4? the General Assembly also was housed in the wooden frame struc- ture that was to serve the State until Sherman's destructive advance on February 17, By it was evident that this frame building could not safely house the records relating to the State's history.

Governor Seabrook, in an annual message to the General Assembly on November 27, called attention to these valuable records, and eventually a joint House and Senate committee was appointed to evaluate the situation. This Committee gave the following report on December 15, The Legislature will remember that at the last session it was agreed that the sales of lots in the town of Columbia, shall be placed at the disposal of the Committee, for the purpose of erecting the basement story of a fire proof building, for the deposit of the Records of the State. The Committee after great deliberation, have determined to erect the said building as the part of a plan which might be used as a State House.

The present structure being of wood, cannot in the usual course of nature, last many years longer, and a new one must be provided, galley, A. S., The State Houses of South Carolina (Columbia. S. G.: South Carolina Archives Department, p. 7. SOUTH CAROLINA. STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 2) They therefore, before commencing operations? employed a skillful architect to furnish a general plan of a complete building? and also of the part (namely the north wing) now to be built? which has been placed in the Hall for inspection. The arrangements are such, that the wing now in course of erection will be of itself a complete building? should the Legislature determine not to adopt the whole plan. The committee have entered into agreement with Messrs. McCullough & Werner? for the above work.

They have given bonds to the amount of twenty-five thousand, with approved securities for the faithful performance of their contracts. The material to be used are Carolina granite? brick? and iron.2 However this "fire proof" building was never completed. Two years J after arrangements for construction had been made? work was stopped because of inferior workmanship. In May, the Commissioners * . . discovered serious defects in both the brick and stone work. The archi- tect and contractors not giving a satisfactory explanation of the causes of the trouble, the Commissioners ordered the work stopped? suspended architect Hammerskold and called upon Governor Manning to procure an architect of undoubted skill and competency to inspect the work. John R. Niernsee [who was born in Vienna?

and worked in architectural offices in Baltimore], . . . was engaged and he met with the Commissioners on June Niernsee reported that the trouble was caused by the employment of workmanship and materials inferior to those which were specified and contracted for. Hammerskold was dismissed and the contractors for masonry and brick work were ordered to remove the defective work. The contractor for the masonry refused to comply with the order and forfeited his contract. The contractor for the brick work was dismissed. Niernsee was employed as Consulting Architect and G. E. Walker, of South Carolina, who has been Assistant Architect on the Custom House at Charleston? was em- ployed as Superintending Architect.

The Commission organised a construction department which, under Vi/alfeer's direction, took down the defective walls already built and began the preparation of materials on the ground by day labor under a competent foreman for each mechanical branch. In their report to the General Assembly in November, the Com- missioners estimated a saving of twenty or twenty-five per cent, for the former contract prices? which will enable them to cover all supposed loss to the State. 2 IM&., pp. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No.

(Page 3) The report of the Superintending Architect, at the same session, shows that there had been expended on the new building and sundry works upon the old State House and grounds,, including paid William Gla2e for rolling it back out of the way of the proposed new building, and paid for the square to the east of Richardson Street, that of that might be regarded as lost because of the frauds of the architect and contractors; that materials on hand available for future use were worth and that a balance of remained, making the equivalent of to be applied to the reconstruction of the building. In his annual message of Governor Manning reviewed the re- ports of the Commissioners and Mr.

Walker and presumed that the General Assembly intended to carry out its original intentions and added: In that event I recommend a change of position for the new edifice. By locating it at the intersection of Senate and Richardson street with northern and southern exposures it can be seen without obstruction from the four points of the compass and will present an appearance more dignified and imposing. That part of the Governor^ message was referred to a Special Joint Committee consisting of six members of each house. Those appointed on the part of the Senate were Messrs. Cam, Chesnut, Drayton, Pickens, Barnes and Ingram; on the part of the House Messrs. B, F. Perry, Trenholm, Boykin, McGowan, B. H.

Wilson and Bryan, The New State House The General Assembly agreed to Governor Manning1 s proposals and adopted resolutions containing a provision that the cost of the new structure shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars, in addition to the amounts already appropriated for ibfrt purpose. The Appropriation Act of carried an appropriation of $3? 500 for the salary of the superintendent of the new State House and one for for continuing the construction of the new State House. The governor was authorised and required to issue bonds to the amount of the appropriation, payable in twenty-five years, to bear 6% interest, payable semi-annually.

These bonds were issued in A commissioner was to succeed the special Joint Committee of the General Assembly by resolutions of the General Assembly passed earlier in the session, and on December an election was held to fill the position. Gen. James Jones, of Edgefield, was elected for a term of one year. He was prohibited from expending in any one year, more than the amount appropriated.

South Carolina State House

Ems No. (Page 4) The Comptroller General's report for shows receipts from October, to October, as follows: Balance $ Sales of Columbia lots From Commissioners Sales of bonds. Total Commissioner Jones reported to the General Assembly in that he had entered upon his duties December 27, that he had employed John R, Niernsee to conduct the work of constructing the New State House, at a salary of to commence January 1, and that he had required him to reside in Columbia. He reported that his predecessors had expended all of the funds that had been in their hands, and that to continue the construction of the New State House until the proceeds of sales of bonds should be deposited in the Treasury he had had to make personal notes at banks.

He further re- ported that he had collected mechanics and laborers enough to make reasonable progress with the work and had gotten together a large number of stone-cutters, masons, carpenters, blacksmith, quarrymen and laborers. Disbursements from November 1, to September 30, amounted to He had received from his predecessors and from the Treasury, from sale of bonds There were unsettled accounts to the amount of not including wages for November, then due.

Architect Niernsee reported that the expenditures for amounted to of which was for taking down the defective building and fitting up the present old State House, leaving to be charged to the Mew State House for making the total amount chargeable to the construction of the New State House up to the of September, The Architect reported a cost of per perch excess of cost of stone in over that of due to freshets in the Congaree River, which overflowed the principal quarry of the State at Granby no less than eight times in eleven months.

He reported that perches of stone had so far been laid of which perches had been laid during the fiscal year and that the whole of the foundations of the building proper were completed, together with as much of the foundations of the two pesticos, as are properly counted under that head. Three quarries were supplying the granite: The Granby quarry, working 130 men; the Ford quarry, working 37 men and the Duley quarry working 46 men. The stone was hauled from the quarries by mules, an average of 44 mules being employed monthly, and they during the pre- ceding year had hauled tons of stone at a total cost of SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 5) He recommended the construction of a railroad from the quarries as more economical.

By an Act ratified December 20, the governor was authorized and required to issue bonds, or stocks, . . . This stock was issued in In his annual report for Commissioner Jones gave as his ex- penditures for the fiscal year from October 1, to September 30, the sum of making a total expenditure of from the bond issue of in and the stock issue of in leaving a balance of John R.

Niernsee, Architect and Superintendent, Hew State House, reported the total amount of disbursements chargeable to the New State House, up to September 30, to he He reported that after proper specifications and advertisements were published in many State papers for two months, and we were unable to obtain any bids for contracts, either for quarrying, cutting or hauling, and thus determining the continuation of the days' work system, we proceeded to build a railroad to the Granby quarry, with turnouts for the Davis and Rocky Branch quarries. The road was built by James G. Gibbes, the lowest bidder, for which included all the work, culverts, bridges, and superstructure, with the exception of the iron rails, they being furnished to him by the State.

The length of the road was 3 miles and 208 feet. He reported: the structure has now advanced in height to the top of the basement window heads. He further reported the value of ma- terials on hand at On December 21, ant Act was ratified to Authorize the Issue of Bonds or Stock for the Purpose of Continuing the Construction of the New State House. Commissioner Jones reported October 1, that he had expended on the New State House during the fiscal year from October 1, to September 30, of which payments to J. D.

Daley for the Palmetto Tree monument and repairs to the old State House, amounting to were not properly chargeable to the construc- tion of the New State House, leaving the actual expenditure He reported contracts for marble, for the main story of the building, to be delivered prior to July.l, amounting to uncon- nected with the force employed here. He asked for a further appropria- tion of Niernsee reported the total amount of disbursements chargeable to the New State House up to October to be that SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 6) by building the railroad the savings in hauling amounts to nearly $4> 000 m fifty per cent, of the expenditure in the previous year and that he had installed during the year a steam pump to remove water from the Grariby quarry.

He reported that he had worked an average of an 152 hands at the quarries, with a foreman, his assistant and an overseer of negroes; an average of 114 stone cutters, and had produced, during the year, cubic feet of finished work in rustic and plain ashlar, cornices, Doric columns and pilasters, carved Doric capitals, and a large variety of moulded work. He reported that the structure was advanced to the height of the window sill course of the principal floor, or 37 feet above the foot of the foundations. The total number of laborers en- gaged on October 1, white and black, was including foremen. /By an Act ratified December the governor was authorized and required to issue bonds or stock. . .

Commissioner Jones reported October 1, that his total disburse- ments for the fiscal year from October 1, to September 30, amounted to He reported an unexpended balance of He further reported: I have entered into two contracts with Messrs. Hugh Sisson & Co., by the first of which they undertake to cut the Corinthian capitals of granite for the columns of the building for a specified price; and by the second, they agree to do all the marble work required at the prices named in the contract, both the granite and marble work to be done in the yard of the New State House, and their men to be governed by the same rules and regulations prescribed for our other men upon the yard.

These two contracts amount together to about the sum of three hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars of which about one hundred and four thousand dollars will be payable in the course of the ensuing year. In addi- tion to which, I regard it good economy to retain as many of the present force working by the day as the means of payment will allow, so as to push on the walls to completion, and put on the roof as soon as practicable. I therefore respect- fully ask for an appropriation of four hundred thousand dollars for the enduing year.

Niernsee reported the total amount of disbursements chargeable to the New State House up to October to be * * * Included in that expenditure was materials not yet used in the build- ing worth He reported a total force employed of By an Act ratified December 22, the governor was authorized and required to issue bonds or stock to the amount of four iBMnda?e< thousand dollars,. . . SOUTH CAROLINA. STATS HOUSE HABS No. (Page 7) Commissioner Jones reported October 1, i860; that he had expended between October 1, and September 30, i860, and had an unexpended balance of with unsold stock to the amount of A significant feature of his report was that a premium of had been secured in the sale of stock to the amount of especially significant in view of the rapidly approaching secession of the State.

The Commissioner also reported: The walls of the building will be finished and ready for the roof- ing early next year, and it is desirable, for the preservation of the work, that the roof should be put on as soon as practicable. He asked for for the ensuing year, to make reasonable progress in the remaining granite and brick work of the building. Architect Niernsee reported the absolute value of work put into the building thus far to be He further reported: The whole of our quarrying during the past year has been done by an average number of 133 blacks, with one foreman and his two assistants, together with one machinist and his assistant for hoisting and pumping at both the quarries. With an average number of 121 stone-cutters, under their efficient foreman, Mr.

Wm* Barnaby, and his assistant, we have produced during the year cubic feet of highly- finished cut stone work, in ashlar, window dressings, columns, cornices, &c, * * * x * x The whole structure has now advanced to an uniform level at the top of the last course of ashlar, from whence the Entablature, consisting of three courses in height? (viz: Architrave, Frieze} and Cornice) springs, making thus the height of the building a distance of 65 feet, 9 inches above the foot of the foundation. He further reported that the whole force at work October 1, i860, was By an Act ratified January 28, the governor was authorized and required to issue in bonds or stock, . . . In November, Comptroller General T. J.

Pickens reported to the General Assembly respecting the new State House: The work of this costly and magnificent structure was dis- continued during the fiscal year, in consequence of the inability of the President of the Bank of the State to dispose of the Bonds, authorized to be issued for its SOUTH CiltOLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 8) prosecution, at their limited value. As one hundred and seventeen thousand nine hundred dollars will have to "be provided annually for the payment of the interest on the 6 per cent Bonds and Stocks which have been issued for its construction, it is evident that it will be wise economy on the part of the Legislature to appropriate an amount sufficient to cover the finished portion and pro- tect it effectually from all injurious exposures to the weather.

The report of Commissioner Jones, November 28, shows: Balance on hand October 1, i860... Unsold stock which sold for Advanced by Bank of the State on new stock..... Receipts from sale of old tools and materials.... Sale of new stock at 95 ..; Disbursements reported for the fiscal year amounted to or more than the receipts. The difference had been advanced by the Commissioner. Between October 1st and November was expended.

Stock to the amount of was sold for and cement and other materials were sold for and those funds applied to the account, leaving a further deficit of which was also advanced by the Commissioner, making a total debt due him of Having expended neatly all funds at his command the Commissioner stopped the work of all white mechanics on March 15, The owners of the slaves employed at the quarries consented to wait for their pay until funds should be provided by the General Assembly, and as abandonment of the quarry, involving the probable destruction thereof, and the loss of the engine, derricks, railroad and machinery, to the value of an amount nearly or quite equal to the cost of continuing that part of the work, the Commissioner continued to get out stone and transport it to the State House grounds.

Sisson and Dougherty, having a contract for the cutting of the Corinthian capitals of granite for the porticos, and for the marble work iDor the interior, continued with the execution of their contract in good faith. On April 1, they were due for which they agreed to take payment in the stock issued by the State, for construction of the State House, at 95 cents on the dollar. The Commissioner had delivered to them worth of the stock in payment of of the amount due them. The Commissioner recom- mended that rather than incur the ruinous consequences of an entire stoppage of their work, the General Assembly accept their proposition SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No.

(Page 9) and order the agent in possession of the balance of the stock issued to deliver them enough to pay the balance then due on their con- tract and to continue to pay monthly for the amount of work completed by them. He also reported that there was still due for labor and materials, outstanding bills and sums advanced by him In the spring of Commissioner Jones entered the service of the Confederate States as Colonel of the Regiment, Infantry, S. C. V., and ended his services as Commissioner.

The Architect reported that the total expenditures from October 1, to September 30, was and the total amount of expenditure on the New State House on the 1st of October, to be but that there was on hand unused materials amounting to leaving the absolute value of work put into the building thus far to be In the Senate on December 20, the Committee on the New State House, to whom the annual reports of the Commissioner and Architect had been referred, recommended the entire suspension of the work on the build- ing and at the quarries, in order that our resources might be devoted more exclusively to the defense of the State.

They called attention to the special contracts of Sisson and Dougherty and stated that they were not prepared to recommend an imperative stoppage of the work, and thereby involve the State in an apparent want of faith, and perhaps a claim for heavy damages. They pointed out that an entire suspension of the work would also involve the necessity for an immediate appropriation to meet the arrearages due that firm. They announced that the firm was pre- pared to receive, not only what v/as due them, but pay for completion of their entire contract, in the stocks already issued at the rate of ninety-five cents on the dollar, and the Committee recommended acceptance.

The Committed was of the opinion that suspension of work at the quarries would result in serious damage to implements and materials, and might endanger the quarries themselves; that by continued idleness the wood work of the railroad and derricks would deteriorate, and that many of the implements and materials must be sold to prevent complete loss. The Committee believed that much less than a year of energetic quarrying would produce sufficient stone to complete the building. The Committee was informed that the owner of a considerable number of the negroes tnen working at the quarries would accept the 6% stocks of the State at 95 cents on the dollar in payment for their work.

The Committee believed that work already completed would withstand the weather for several years without deteriorating and that a temporary cover of wood would not only not be. necessary but would prove a fire hasard. The Committee reported that Mr. Niernsee was willing to act as Superintendent and Architect and to accept a greatly reduced salary. . . Mr. Niernsee- reported that in March, . . .: We have quarried and hauled to the yard * * * from January 1st to October cubic feet of SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE RABS No.

(Page 10) the "best kind of large block-dimension stone for "build- ing # * * v/e have the above-mentioned * * * fine granite in large blocks, weighing principally from eight to twelve tons, at a total expense for quarrying, hauling and stor- ing of or a fraction less than 97 cents per cubic foot, and nearly 4 cents less per cubic foot than in the former year. In connection with this subject, I feel it incumbent upon me to refer * * * to the annexed detailed statement of the cost of granite and transportation, as heretofore existing in one of the best and cheapest worked Northern quarries, which statement, I hope, will set the question of the economical productions of our quarry here entirely at rest for the future.

The price of Quincy granite, per cubic foot, at the quarry 50 cents Freight by vessel from near Boston to Charleston " Transportation by railroad, 3 miles from the water, unknown Transportation by railroad from Charleston to Columbia, at wholesale, or accommodation prices, per ton, n or per cubic foot 30 Making the total cost of 1 cubic foot of Quincy granite delivered in Columbia But the price of the above granite, at the quarry, at 50 cents per cubic foot, is only for the smallest kind of ashlar blocks, under 28 cubic feet in size, or 2 tons in weight.

He reported that the total amount of work still to be done under con- tracts amounted to and that there remained marble work to be contracted for thereafter to the value of He reported about in stock available, which can readily be sold at yielding He asked for a further issue of stock to the amount of which would sell for The Committee on the State House and Grounds submitted its report to the Senate on December and offered resolutions recommending that the -work on the New State House be continued to the extent of the continuation of all marble work for the interior of the building, contracted for with SisSon and Dougherty, and the quarrying of granite sufficient for the completion of the entire building, and recommended the appropriation of in additional stock at 6%.

The Committee also recojumended-that Sisson and Dougherty and the owners of the negro laborers be paid the difference between the 95 cents on the dollar at which they agreed to accept the stock and the par value that the agent Bank had paid them at, and that Mr. Niemsee's salary be HABS No.

(Page 11) raised to The report was immediately adopted and sent to the House where it was concurred in on the Governor Pickens having recommended the moving of the State records to the vaults in the new "building, the Senate Committee reported on December that they found the vaults or rooms in the New State House in good condition, and now ready to receive such papers and other public records as it may be deemed expedient and proper to be deposited there, and that the use of the present delapidated building, and the by no means safe condition of other important State papers from fire, now in the Hall of the Branch Bank of the State, suggests the propriety of the Legislature's promptly availing itself of the use of these vaults or rooms.

The House concurred in the report on February 2, An Act was passed authorizing the issuance of the stock. On November 17, architect Niernsee reported to the General Assembly that his receipts for the year, including balance from the preceding year, amounted to and his disbursements to leaving a cash balance of on hand October 1, There was still owing for negro hire to October 1, and marble work to the same date He estimated that the same work to January 1, would amount to which, he said, will exhaust all of our available funds at that date.

He stated that at the end of the fiscal year the total amount then chargeable to the construction of the New State House, was which, with the expenditures to October 1, brought the total cost to He reported materials on the yard, not yet used, and finished work stored up, to the value of showing the absolute value of work on the building as it stands at present, to be that Sisson and Dougherty had completed their contract for the granite capitals during the year, and also produced finished marble work to the value of in superior style. He estimated that would be necessary if the General Assembly determined to continue the partial prosecution of the work, in the same manner as during the preceding year. In his annual message Mo.

1, November 27, Governor Orr stated that there had been issued during ^ for work on the State House, stock to the amount of A part of the printed Reports and Resolutions for I864 having been destroyed when Sherman's troops burned the old State House in and the remaining part of the volume having no report from Architect Niernsee we are uninformed' as to what amount of that stock issue was used on the building. The Appropriation Act carried Mr. Niernsee's salary. :- Brevet Major George Ward Nichols, aid-de-camp to General Sherman, in his published journal entitled The Story of the Great March, records: Columbia,. February.

19th.--General Sherman has given orders for the farther destruction-of all public prop- erty in the city, excepting the new capitol, which will SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 12) not be injured. I think the General saves this building more because it is such a beautiful work of art than for any other reason. Sherman's artillery had played on Columbia all day on the and had registered six hits on the western and southern walls of the State House, Only one of them did much damage. It shattered the moulded windows ill and balusters of the second window from the north side of the House of Representatives.

The quoin-stones and basement cornice at the southwestern corner crumbled off three or four inches in depth from the heat of the fire from the adjacent old State House according to Nierasee's report to the General Assembly in The Architect's plans, drawings, specifications, and all other records were utterly swept away during that terrible night. The House of Representatives, on September 19* adopted a reso- lution, which the Senate concurred in on the directing the governor to advertise for estimates for covering the new State House and fitting up therein a sufficient number of rooms for the use of the General Assembly and its officers, and lay them before the House at its next session. In his message No.

1., November Governor Orr informed the General Assembly that he had advertised for proposals for the work and that bids had been received from three builders. He stated that... the bidSj together with the respective plans, specifications and es*fei- mates, would be submitted to the committees of the two Houses charged with the subject. He also stated that well informed architects repre- sented that the building, in its present condition, would deteriorate^ and he recommended an appropriation to carry out the purposes of the resolution. On December the House took up for consideration majority and minority reports of the Committee on the State House and Grounds and tabled both of them, and the unending struggle over the completion of the building was on.

In the meantime, by an Act ratified December 7, the governor was authorised to adjust with Sisson and Dougherty, for the marble work for the State House ? the balance due them for work done during and to Issue Bonds or stock for the amount due and deliver the proper amount thereof to them. December 20, the Senate adopted s joint resolution authorising the.governor to call for plans and estimates for covering the New State House building with a light tin roof ?

and to close the windows and door openings with rough shutters "to protect it from injury; that he appoint the Architect whose plans shall be adopted-superintendent of the work;, after he has fully matured his plan and."-.drawn up .specifications., which shall fully .set forth all the work to be contracted for, and that the SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page 13) same be done at the earliest day practicable. The resolution was con- curred in by the House the next day and on the same day was ratified the Appropriation Act, which provided for covering the new State House, with a tin roof, twelve thousand dollars, if so much be necessary.

From the report of Comptroller General Leaphart in it appears that the total issue of bonds and stock for the construction of the building was The report of State Treasurer Hood shows that up to April 30, had been expended in putting a roof on the building. The report of Miles G. Parker, the Carpet Bagger treasurer who succeeded Mr, Hood in shows the expenditure during the remainder of that year of for a tin roof for the State House. The writer has been informed by his father, since deceased, and by Mr. Charles M. Tew, of Columbia, that this first roof of the State House was of shingles. The Radical government, in issuing vast amounts of bonds, declared that a part thereof were to finance work on the State House.

There was so much dishonesty in all of their transactions that it is impos- sible to show how much was actually spent on making the building habitable. After the white people returned to power in efforts were made from time to time to complete the State House, An inferiority complex had so firmly gripped our people as a consequence of the wreckage and destruction of the war, and the stealing and oppression under Recon- struction, that the matter of completing the State House became a bitter campaign issue every two years for over twenty years. In Mr.

Niernsee v/as reengaged as architect and might have accom- plished something even without his plans and papers but his work was cut short by his death, June 7, He was succeeded by his former assistant, J, Crawford Nielson, of Baltimore, who v/as succeeded, October 1, by J. Frank Niernsee, son of John R. Niernsee. The younger Niernsee deviated from the plans of his father, doubtless because he realized the General Assembly would never provide sufficient funds to complete according to the original plan. . . . In an appropriation of was made upon the assurance of Frank P. Milburn, a contracting architect who admitted under oath that he was not educated as an architect that he could complete the building for that amount. A contract was given to Mcllvain & Unkefer.

The porticos, roof and dome were erected under the appropriation. The copper roof that had been put on in the 'SO's was replaced by a sloping gravel roof. Both roof and dome began to leak most; destructively, . almost immediately. The girders of roof and dome were also of such weak construction that many competent architects pronounced them unsafe. In another had to be appropriated to put on a new roof and reinforce the girders. And so the State House is still in many respects incomplete.3 3 im.-., PP- SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE HABS No. (Page U) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: The State House, designed in an Italian Renaissance style, is one of the finest of Southern state capitol buildings. 2. Condition of fabric: Excellent. B.

Technical Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: Three stories; nineteen bay front by five bays; rectangular, approximately 300 feet by 150 feet. 2. Wall construction: Granite and brick. 3. Structural system: Brick and cast iron. 4. Porches: Two projecting granite decastyle Corinthian porticoes (north and south facades). Each is approached by monumental two-stage granite staircases flanked by massive rusticated parotids. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: .Relatively small main entries with double doors and large single-light transoms under a heavily decorated entablature. These doors are simple wooden doors with one large single light each. The side doors are similar, except they are set within large granite arches. b.

Windows and shutters: First floor (which visually reads as a rusticated basement): Two-over-four light windows set in elliptical-arched openings with rusticated voussoirs. Second floor: Four-over-four light windows set in Italian Renaissance aediculae with triangular pediments, projecting decorative con- soles and balustrades. Third floor; Two-over-two light windows; simple architraves with crossettes and sills supported by decorative brackets. 6. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Hipped roof with balustrade; parapet over porticoes. b. Cornice: Denticulated.cornice with wide, plain banded frieae. SOUTH CAROLINA STATS HOUSE HABS No. (Page 15) c.

Cupolas, tewers: The square, multi-staged tower originally designed by isiiemsee was never constructed, The present cumbersome lantern., dome and cupola date from after C. Technical Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Senate chamber on second or main floor (piano nobile) east side; House chamber on same floor, west side. 2. Flooring: Generally marble flooring. 3. Wall and ceiling finish: Marble and masonry veneers, and plaster and paint. Ceilings in some of the main chambers are coffered, 4. Decorative features and trim: Some of the chambers and main hallways have elaborate coffering and cornices that reflect mid-nineteenth-century taste. 5. Lighting: Electric. D. Site: 1. Orientation: Main facades face approximately north and south. 2.

Outbuildings: To provide additional office space9 a five- story building was erected in south of the State House on the corner of Senate and Sumter Streets; adjoin- ing this building another State office building was erected in 3. Landscaping: The State House is surrounded by a lawn with walks and random-placed shrubs and trees; it is set on a low terrace* Prepared by John C. Poppeliers Architectural Historian National Park Service June SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Salley, A. S. The State Bouse of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina Archives Department, printing, Withey, Henry and Elsie. "B^rs^ioglVio-tlcmvy- of American Architects (Deceased) Los Angeles: New Age Publishing Company, Work Projects Administration. South,Carolina, A Guide- to tM._Pal3Ttetto State (American Guide Series).

New lork: Oxford University Press3 19a. ,.,