Discovering Our Past: College of Charleston Histories
A project by College of CharlestonThis project, a part of the College of Charleston’s 250th anniversary, explores many of the diverse pasts and presences that are part of our storied campus. Just as we embrace inclusivity in our present, this project seeks to share the stories of all people who were part of our past, whose presences linger on the land and in our buildings, and whose contributions and stories enrich the narrative that emerges as the unfolding epic tale of the College of Charleston.
Read more About UsFeatured Stories
Randolph Hall
Built 1828-30, Randolph Hall is the signature building of the College of Charleston campus. A National Historic Landmark, the building is one of three historic structures in Cistern Yard, and it appears in the university’s main logo. Randolph Hall,…
4 Green Way
Since purchasing the house in 1901, the College has used it as a residence hall, faculty apartments, barracks, fencing court, lab and offices. Ill-treated by student residents in the early 20th century, the house was known as “The Shack.” This…
Porter's Lodge
Completing the design of Cistern Yard, this symbolic entrance to the College has also housed janitors, student clubs, and faculty offices. Its arches welcome incoming students and community members to campus and usher new graduates out at the end of…
Take a Tour
College of Charleston's 250th Anniversary Tour
13 Locations ~ Curated by The Discovering Our Past: College of Charleston Histories TeamSlavery and its Legacies: Sites of Oppression
10 Locations ~ Curated by Jenn Curtis, Samuel Graham, Tanesha High, Brandon Stone, Shannon Wait, Joseph WilliamsSlavery and its Legacies: Sites of Fellowship
7 Locations ~ Curated by The Discovering Our Past: College of Charleston Histories TeamSlavery and its Legacies: Sites Of Resistance
8 Locations ~ Curated by Olive Beck, Jenn Curtis, Noah Dubois, Samuel Graham, Mills Pennebaker, Shannon Wait, Joseph WilliamsSlavery and its Legacies: Sites of Agency
8 Locations ~ Curated by Grace Hall, Tanesha High, Joshua Parks, Mills PennebakerRandom Stories
St. Katherine Convent, 51 Society Street
When walking down Society Street, pause, and give your attention to the building marked 51. While 51 Society Street may blend in with the street's surrounding buildings, it was at one time the residence for some of Charleston's most educated and…
Zion Presbyterian Church, 123 Calhoun Street
Where the Courtyard by Marriot Hotel sits on the corner of Meeting and Calhoun streets, once stood Zion Presbyterian Church, one of the most important churches within the African American community in Charleston. Originally, the nearby Second…
14 Green Way
Decorated with elaborate ironwork and a distinctive cupola, this house was built in 1872 for A.O. Jones, African American and clerk of the South Carolina House of Representatives during Reconstruction. The College first owned this property from 1770…
St. Michael’s Church, 80 Meeting Street
When Anglicanism was made the official religion of the Carolina Colony in 1703, only one parish was established in the city of Charleston: St. Philip’s. Less than fifty years later, the building became too small to adequately serve the numbers…
Cannon Street YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association), 61 Cannon Street
In Charleston, racist laws and social customs of the slavery and Jim Crow eras restricted Black Charlestonians’ access to public spaces within the city. This created many challenges for Black leaders, who aimed to organize their communities and…
Buchanan Barber College (Laura E. Mack Buchanan Sims), 87 Coming Street
Laura E. Mack Buchanan Sims was a woman who dedicated her life and career to cosmetology, education, and her community. Not many at the College may know of Mrs. Sims, but every day they walk by three sites related to Laura Sims, including her home…