South Carolina Supreme Court

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This stately building houses the South Carolina Supreme Court. Built in 1921, it first operated as a United States Post Office, which until 1966. The building is a good example of Neoclassical architecture. Notable features include a portico with ten large Doric columns, three arched entryways with fanlights, arched windows, and two decorative plaques beside the words "Supreme Court of South Carolina."

Images

The South Carolina Supreme Court building was constructed in 1921 as a U.S. Post Office. The state Supreme Court has occupied it since 1971.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The South Carolina Supreme Court building is located across the street from the South Carolina State House, where the Supreme Court was located before it moved here in 1971. The Post Office moved to another location in 1966 and that is when the state purchased the the building. During the coming years, the old building was modified, including the construction of the courtroom. The building underwent renovations once more in 1991. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The building also includes the Supreme Court Library, which is open to the public and houses more than 40,000 volumes of law-related materials including form books, treatises and law journals, and federal and regional reporters. It is the second-largest public legal research collection in the country (the first is the in the USC Law Library).

Sources

McGrath, Dollie. "South Carolina Supreme Court Building." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 18, 1972. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/b6852e66-607c-464b-a877-ff9c00c5e8ee.

"Supreme Court History." South Carolina Judicial Department. Accessed April 2021. https://www.sccourts.org/supreme/history.cfm.

"Supreme Court Library." South Carolina Judicial Department. Accessed April 2021. https://www.sccourts.org/supreme/library.cfm.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SupremeCourtSCbuilding.JPG

Additional Information