State Capitols - Columbia, South Carolina – Exterior

South Carolina Capitol, Columbia (26 June 2008)

Constructed: 1855-1907

Architects: John R. Niernsee, James C. Nielson,

Frank M. Niernsee, Frank P. Milburn, Charles C. Wilson

Admitted to the Union: May 23, 1788 (8th)

Population: 4,625,364 (24th)

The 8th state to join the Union and the first to leave it. In 2008, I visited the capitol on the trip that ended my Dead Presidents Quest and started the State Capitol Odyssey.

It took a long time to complete this capitol, as you might guess from the list of architects in charge. Of course the Civil War was a distraction, especially when Sherman’s troops shelled the building. Reconstruction, despite what we called the period after the war, was slow, what with so much attention focused on restoring white supremacy. One architect died. Another was fired. Stuff happens. Finally, with the dawn of the 20th century, this beautiful state house was completed. And, as luck would have it, major restorations were done just a few years before I visited.

South Carolina Capitol, Columbia (26 June 2008)

The 43-foot columns are each carved from a single piece of stone. The state house brochure considers them to be the largest monolithic columns found on a public building in the country.

Battle Scar (26 June 2008)

Six bronze stars mark the places where 

Union shells hit the building in 1865.

As with most capitols, the grounds include many memorials and monuments to people, events and causes. I regret not seeing the African-American History monument. To the credit of the state, it is the first such commemoration on capitol grounds in the country. Instead, I was entranced by the monument to Strom Thurmond and how it was updated to note the additional daughter he had with one of the family servants. He served in the U.S. Senate on his 100th birthday.

The oldest memorial on the capitol grounds is a cast iron and copper palmetto palm re-creation. It honors the South Carolina regiment that served in the Mexican War. I don’t have a good shot of the monument but I really like the photo below where I framed just a portion of it.

Mexican War Memorial, South Carolina Capitol,

Columbia (26 June 2008)

Confederate Battle Flag, South Carolina Capitol, 
Columbia (26 June 2008)

The recent news from the capitol has shown many views of this flag and most have had it with the capitol placed behind it…the volatile symbol along with the seat of state government as my first picture above displays. Here, however, I was drawn to the uniform patterns of the modern building across the street. I saw this background as an aesthetic and historical contrast...vibrant color against a neutral pattern...then and now...archaic and modern.

If I am going to stick it to South Carolina, I also have to acknowledge what I believe was an extraordinary event. I’m sorry it took the racist murder of nine good, Christian people but the announcement of the new official position on the Confederate battle flag was shocking...and welcome…albeit a century too late. To see the highest ranking politicians and leaders stand together and call for the removal of the flag from the capitol grounds was a genuine feel-good moment.

I like this capitol. It has character. It has history. It is accessible and staffed with friendly, helpful people...which is more than I can say for many other state houses.

More when the next post goes inside.