Powder Magazine

Name/Title

Powder Magazine

Entry/Object ID

CUMBERLAND.079.1

Scope and Content

Constructed ca. 1713; restored 1898-1902; conserved and restored, 1995-96. The Powder Magazine is the oldest secular public building surviving in South Carolina and the only one from the period of Proprietary rule. It is also the first building in the city deliberately restored for its historical associations. The magazine was part of an early effort by the government of Carolina to build proper storage buildings for powder and arms. The 36-inch brick walls and the groin vaulting on the interior are characteristic of contemporary British magazines, but the exterior with central hip roof and projecting gables covered with pantiles has a decidedly vernacular quality. Probably built under the direction of the proprietary governor Nathaniel Johnson, the central column supporting groin vaults and in turn the massive roof system constituted an inherent problem discovered in late 20th century renovations. Generally serving as a magazine until the end of the 18th century, despite the construction of another near the corner of Logan and Queen Streets, the building underwent repeated attempts at repair, particularly with the installation of cast-iron tie rods, forged in England and put up by local masons in the 1740s. In the 19th century the structure went back to the descendants of the original owner of the site. It was used as a livery stable, as a printing shop, and for various other industrial purposes. At one point, it was a private wine cellar for the Manigault family. By 1860 the Powder Magazine was noted as a tourist destination for those visiting Charleston. The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of South Carolina purchased the property in 1902 and are the present owners. In 1993, Historic Charleston Foundation obtained a long-term lease from the Dames, undertook a full restoration, and reopened the site to the public. In 2003, the Powder Magazine was returned to the Colonial Dames, which currently operates it as a public site. (Poston, Buildings of Charleston.) Previously known as 21 Cumberland Street, 23 Cumberland Street, and 81 Cumberland Street. Now known as 79 Cumberland Street (Powder Magazine website). Files contain documentation related to the period of time when HCF managed and reopened the property until returning it to the Colonial Dames. See Container List for details. Note: The majority of files with information related to the Powder Magazine's history, architecture, conservation, restoration, and operation as a public building has been transferred to The Powder Magazine Museum where the files are available to researchers.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Property Records

Acquisition

Accession

CUMBERLAND.079.

Source or Donor

79 Cumberland Street (Powder Magazine)

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Lexicon

Search Terms

Cumberland Street, National Register of Historic Places, Powder Magazine (Charleston, S.C.)--Tours, Powder magazines--South Carolina--Charleston--Tours

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Property File

Archive Details

Archive Size/Extent

1 Document Box

Archive Notes

Archivist's Notes: On 12/3/2010, Karen Emmons incorporated the files of Jon Poston into the existing documentation, particularly those relating to the exhibit. Level of Description: Series

Archive Items Details

Title

Correspondence - 1995

Description

Letters and memoranda mostly from HCF, related to the development and creation of exhibits.

Date(s) of Creation

1995

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Correspondence - 1996

Description

Letters, memoranda, etc., related to the development and creation of exhibits. Includes fee proposal and project schedule from Molinaroli (exhibit designer) (11/4/1996).

Date(s) of Creation

1996

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Correspondence - 1997

Description

Letters, memoranda, etc., related to the development and creation of exhibits. Includes proposals, production plans, and bills from exhibit designer and contractors Molinaroli, Design Lite, Infinite Photo & Imaging, and ExPlus.

Date(s) of Creation

1997

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Budget (HCF, etc.)

Description

HCF budgets and financial reports related to the development and creation of exhibits.. Also includes Charleston Museum budget (archaeology) and Richard Marks budget update (restoration).

Date(s) of Creation

1992 - 1997

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Budget - Molinaroli

Description

Exhibit outline, proposal, project schedule, and budgets from exhibit designer Molinaroli.

Date(s) of Creation

1996 - 1997

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Opening Ceremony Invitation

Description

Invitation to HCF's cermoney in honor of the opening of the Powder Magazine, June 7, 1997.

Date(s) of Creation

1997

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Lease Agreement

Description

Lease Agreement between the National Society of Colonia Dames of South Carolina and Historic Charleston Foundation.

Date(s) of Creation

Jun 23, 1993

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

DCF Engineering Report

Description

"Powder Magazine, Charleston, South Carolina: Structural Repairs Project Manual" (David C. Fischetti, DCS Engineering, June 12, 1995.

Date(s) of Creation

Jun 22, 1995

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Grant Information

Description

Documentation related to a grant Historic Charleston Foundation received from the SC State Historic Preservation Office in 1997

Date(s) of Creation

1997

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Powder Magazine Signage

Description

Mock-up of signage created by Historic Charleston Foundation.

Date(s) of Creation

1993

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

HCF Signage (1988-1992)

Description

Mock-up of signage created by Historic Charleston Foundation.Correspondence related to HCF's early involvement with The Powder Magazine and efforts to conserve the building. Includes Phillips & Oppermann's Interim Report of the firm's evaluation of The Powder Magazine (11/26/1991).

Date(s) of Creation

1988 - 1992

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

HCF Powder Magazine Committee

Description

Minutes of HCF's Powder Magazine Committee.

Date(s) of Creation

1993 - 1998

Container

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Title

Archaeology at the Powder Magazine

Description

Extra copy of the archaeological report Archaelolgy at the Powder Magazine: A Charleston Site Through Three Centuries (Zierden, et al., 1997).

Date(s) of Creation

1997

Notes

Container: Powder Magazine

Location

Container

Document Box

Shelf

Archives C-15

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Container

Document Box

Shelf

Prop File Shelves, Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Location

Container

Series

Shelf

Prop File Shelves, Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

2004.020.007.9, 2004.020.084, 2004.020.085, 2005.004.026, 2006.002.0065, 2006.002.0130, 2006.002.0131, 2010.002.004, 2011.015.88, 2016.002.038a-b, 2016.006.31, CUMBERLAND.079.10, CUMBERLAND.079.11, CUMBERLAND.079.12, CUMBERLAND.079.13, CUMBERLAND.079.14, CUMBERLAND.079.15a-e, CUMBERLAND.079.16, CUMBERLAND.079.17a-b, CUMBERLAND.079.18, CUMBERLAND.079.3, CUMBERLAND.079.4, CUMBERLAND.079.5, CUMBERLAND.079.6, CUMBERLAND.079.8, CUMBERLAND.079.9 Related Units of Description: Preservation Consultants files (79 Cumberland) (Part I and/or Part II applications and/or photos and/or miscellaneous documentation), 2011.022.1

Outgoing Loans

Loan Out

General Notes

Note

Notes: Loaned to Powder Magazine on 12/7/2010. Indefinite period. To be renewed annually. Status: Shelf

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

December 7, 2010

Updated By

admin@catalogit.app

Update Date

February 17, 2023