8 Chalmers Street (German Fire Steam Engine Company)

Archive

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Historic Charleston Foundation

8 Chalmers St., ca. 1963

8 Chalmers St., ca. 1963

Name/Title

8 Chalmers Street (German Fire Steam Engine Company)

Entry/Object ID

CHALMERS.008.01

Scope and Content

Constructed 1851; rehabilitated 1981. Edward C. Jones, architect. Built in a mix of the Gothic Revival and a style called "Norman" or Romanesque Revival, this engine house served as headquarters for the 70-member Deutschen Feuer Kompagnie, one of the many ethnic fire companies established in Charleston in the early 19th century. After its merger with the city fire department, this became Engine House no. 1 by 1881. The engine house use was discontinued at 8 Chalmers when the new city fire stations were built by 1888. The building then served as the Carolina Light Infantry's armory until 1907, and as the site of African American charitable organizations "Good Samaritan Hall" and the "Embry Mission" until 1937. An early coat of stucco still covers the 3-bay building with corner turrets, arched windows, a Gothic pavilion, and stepped parapet. Adapted as an office in 1i81, the structure contains one of Charleston's most interesting working spaces. File contains narrative histories; brief description and inventory of objects in building (1988); 1986 newspaper article about its design as an office; photocopies of images.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Property Records

Acquisition

Accession

CHALMERS.008.

Source or Donor

8 Chalmers Street (German Fire Insurance Society)

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Lexicon

LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

Fire stations

Search Terms

Chalmers Street, Historic buildings--South Carolina--Charleston

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Property File

Archive Details

Archive Size/Extent

1 File Folder

Archive Notes

Finding Aids: Index to Property Files Level of Description: Folder

Location

Location

Shelf

Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Container

PF Box 18

Shelf

Prop File Shelves, Property File Shelves

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Jones, Edward C.

Related Entries

Notes

2004.020.083, CHALMERS.004.01, CHALMERS.004.02, CHALMERS.006.01, CHALMERS.006.02, CHALMERS.006.03, CHALMERS.006.04, CHALMERS.006.05a-h, CHALMERS.006.06a-g, CHALMERS.006.07a-n, CHALMERS.008.02

Related Publications

Notes

Buildings of Charleston (see Abstract), pg. 65

General Notes

Note

Notes: Also known as German Fire Insurance Company, German Fire Company, Deutsche Feuer Companie, Deutschen Feuer Kompagnie.

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

August 8, 2006

Updated By

admin@catalogit.app

Update Date

February 17, 2023