.gif)
U.S. Custom House (Charleston, South Carolina)
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Custom House or U.S. Customhouse is the custom house
in Charleston, South Carolina
. Construction began in 1853, but was interrupted in 1859 due to costs and the possibility of South Carolina's secession from the Union
. After the Civil War
, construction was restarted in 1870 and completed in 1879. The building was placed on the National Register of Historical Places on October 9, 1974. It is also a contributing property
of the Charleston Historic District
.
would be a positive sign to South Carolina. A design competition with a US$300 prize was announced. About ten architects submitted entries. The four known entrants were three Charlestonian architects: Edward Brickell White
, Edward C. Jones, and Peter H. Hammarskold and one Savannah, Georgia
architect, John S. Norris
. Noted New York architect, James Renwick
submitted a late entry, which was returned. The commission judging the entries selected the Jones design and submitted the plans to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, DC.
There was lobbying while the decision was being made. Robert Mills
submitted plans to the Secretary. Eventually, Ammi Burnham Young
was selected to produce a new design incorporating features of the four competitive entries. White was appointed the superintending architect. Jones, Hammarskold, Norris, and White were awarded US$200 for their entries.
The final plans were for a two-story, cross-shaped building with an elevated, rusticated
basement. It was to be 259 ft (79 m) from west to east and 152 ft (46 m) from north to south. The west and east arms had Roman porticoes supported by Corinthian
limestone columns and steps down to grade. The north and south arms were porticoes. The walls had Corinthian engaged column
s between the windows. There was a dome supported by Corinthian columns. The building was to be 160 ft (49 m) above grade. Except for the change from Doric
to Corinthian order and for the high dome, the building bore resemblance to the Boston Customhouse that Young had recently designed.
In 1859, there was increasing concern in Congress
over the possible secession
of South Carolina and the costs of construction. Representative John Letcher
from Virginia called for a cessation of construction. Representative William Porcher Miles
defended the construction with little enthusiam. No funds were appropriated to continue construction in 1859.
White proposed eliminating the costly dome and replacing it with skylights. With the possibility of war, Congress only appropriated funds for protecting the construction from rain.
. Because that quarry was abandoned, new marble was obtained from Tuckahoe, New Jersey
. Alfred B. Mullett
prepared revised drawings. The dome in Ammi B. Young's original design was replaced with skylights that covered a two-story, square cortile or inside patio. Fluted Corinthian columns surround the iron second floor gallery. The gallery is ornamented with fluted pilaster
s. The north and south porticoes were probably converted to office space at this stage.
The windows are rectangular with pediment
s. The portico entrance doors are also pedimented. The buildings were topped with an entablature
with architrave
and an unadorned frieze
with a dentil
ed cornice
. The building has a low roof with an open balustrade.
Construction was completed in 1879. The total cost of construction was about US$2,806,000.
In 1906, a heating system replaced the use of stoves and coal grates. In 1910, plumbing and electrical lighting were installed.
By the 1960s, the Custom House was used by a number of federal agencies. Threatened with demolition, local preservationists with the help of Representative Mendel Rivers
worked to save the building.
In 1964, "UNITED STATES CUSTOM HOUSE" was engraved in the frieze above the west portico. In 1968, over US$212,000 was spent on restoration.
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Customs officials also collected customs duty on imported goods....
in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Construction began in 1853, but was interrupted in 1859 due to costs and the possibility of South Carolina's secession from the Union
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, construction was restarted in 1870 and completed in 1879. The building was placed on the National Register of Historical Places on October 9, 1974. It is also a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
of the Charleston Historic District
Charleston Historic District
The Charleston Historic District, also known as Charleston Old and Historic District, is a historic district in Charleston, South Carolina. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960....
.
Design competition
In the tense pre-Civil War period, the federal government felt that building a new custom house in Charleston to replace the Old Custom HouseExchange and Provost
Exchange and Provost, also known as the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, Custom House and Half-Moon Battery, and The Exchange, was built in 1767....
would be a positive sign to South Carolina. A design competition with a US$300 prize was announced. About ten architects submitted entries. The four known entrants were three Charlestonian architects: Edward Brickell White
Edward Brickell White
Edward Brickell White , also known as E. B. White, was an American architect. He was known for his Gothic Revival architecture and his use of Roman and Greek designs.-Life:...
, Edward C. Jones, and Peter H. Hammarskold and one Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
architect, John S. Norris
John S. Norris
John S. Norris was an American architect.He was born and raised in New York City, where he began his career as a mason. He advanced to being a builder and eventually listed himself in the telephone directory as an architect....
. Noted New York architect, James Renwick
James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family...
submitted a late entry, which was returned. The commission judging the entries selected the Jones design and submitted the plans to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington, DC.
There was lobbying while the decision was being made. Robert Mills
Robert Mills (architect)
Robert Mills , most famously known for designing the Washington Monument, is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor...
submitted plans to the Secretary. Eventually, Ammi Burnham Young
Ammi B. Young
Ammi Burnham Young was an important 19th century American architect whose commissions transitioned from the Greek Revival to the Neo-Renaissance styles. His Second Vermont State House brought him fame and success, which eventually led him to become the first Supervising Architect of the U.S....
was selected to produce a new design incorporating features of the four competitive entries. White was appointed the superintending architect. Jones, Hammarskold, Norris, and White were awarded US$200 for their entries.
The final plans were for a two-story, cross-shaped building with an elevated, rusticated
Rustication (architecture)
thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
basement. It was to be 259 ft (79 m) from west to east and 152 ft (46 m) from north to south. The west and east arms had Roman porticoes supported by Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
limestone columns and steps down to grade. The north and south arms were porticoes. The walls had Corinthian engaged column
Engaged column
In architecture, an engaged column is a column embedded in a wall and partly projecting from the surface of the wall, sometimes defined as semi or three-quarter detached...
s between the windows. There was a dome supported by Corinthian columns. The building was to be 160 ft (49 m) above grade. Except for the change from Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
to Corinthian order and for the high dome, the building bore resemblance to the Boston Customhouse that Young had recently designed.
Pre-Civil War construction
Land was purchased at Fitzsimons' Wharf at East Bay and Market. Construction started in 1853 under White's direction. Since the location was marshy, 7,000 piles that were 40 ft (12 m) long were driven in to the sand and were cut off at grade. A grillage or network of timber was laid. and a thick bed of concrete was constructed for the foundation. The granite walls of the basement were finished by 1855. After the marble-faced walls were erected, the columns were begun in 1858.In 1859, there was increasing concern in Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
over the possible secession
Secession in the United States
Secession in the United States can refer to secession of a state from the United States, secession of part of a state from that state to form a new state, or secession of an area from a city or county....
of South Carolina and the costs of construction. Representative John Letcher
John Letcher
John Letcher was an American lawyer, journalist, and politician. He served as a Representative in the United States Congress, was the 34th Governor of Virginia during the American Civil War, and later served in the Virginia General Assembly...
from Virginia called for a cessation of construction. Representative William Porcher Miles
William Porcher Miles
William Porcher Miles was among the ardent States' Rights advocates, supporters of slavery, and Southern secessionists who came to be known as the "Fire-Eaters." Born in South Carolina, he showed little early interest in politics and his early career included the study of law and a tenure as a...
defended the construction with little enthusiam. No funds were appropriated to continue construction in 1859.
White proposed eliminating the costly dome and replacing it with skylights. With the possibility of war, Congress only appropriated funds for protecting the construction from rain.
Post-Civil War construction
During the war, the building was damaged by shelling. In 1870, construction resumed. The original marble came from Hastings, New YorkHastings, New York
Hastings is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 8,803 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Hastings Curtiss, a prominent citizen and member of the State Assembly in 1824....
. Because that quarry was abandoned, new marble was obtained from Tuckahoe, New Jersey
Tuckahoe, New Jersey
Tuckahoe is an unincorporated community in Upper Township, Cape May County, New Jersey, United States.-Bridge construction:A bridge, constructed in 1920 and renovated in 1962, connects Tuckahoe to Corbin City, its neighbor to the north...
. Alfred B. Mullett
Alfred B. Mullett
Alfred Bult Mullett was an American architect who served from 1866 to 1874 as Supervising Architect, head of the agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings...
prepared revised drawings. The dome in Ammi B. Young's original design was replaced with skylights that covered a two-story, square cortile or inside patio. Fluted Corinthian columns surround the iron second floor gallery. The gallery is ornamented with fluted pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s. The north and south porticoes were probably converted to office space at this stage.
The windows are rectangular with pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s. The portico entrance doors are also pedimented. The buildings were topped with an entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
with architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
and an unadorned frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
with a dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
ed cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The building has a low roof with an open balustrade.
Construction was completed in 1879. The total cost of construction was about US$2,806,000.
Later history
It is possible that the north and south porticos were enclosed to increase office space in repairs after the 1886 Charleston earthquake.In 1906, a heating system replaced the use of stoves and coal grates. In 1910, plumbing and electrical lighting were installed.
By the 1960s, the Custom House was used by a number of federal agencies. Threatened with demolition, local preservationists with the help of Representative Mendel Rivers
L. Mendel Rivers
Lucius Mendel Rivers was a Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina, representing the Charleston based 1st congressional district for nearly thirty years...
worked to save the building.
In 1964, "UNITED STATES CUSTOM HOUSE" was engraved in the frieze above the west portico. In 1968, over US$212,000 was spent on restoration.