South Carolina Historical Society's collection moving to College of Charleston

By Robert Behre

The Post and Courier

When the Fireproof Building opened in 1827, its construction was considered state of the art - a perfect place to store important government records.

But two centuries have a way of changing things.

 Enlarge The Fireproof Building at 100 Meeting St. is the longtime home of the S.C. Historical Society. Robert Behre/Staff

And that is why the S.C. Historical Society - a statewide nonprofit archive that has called the building home for almost half a century - is moving its collection of approximately 2 million documents about a mile way.

John Tucker, the society's assistant director, said the nonprofit has felt it has two important obligations: to preserve and protect its maps, books and photographs, and to care for its historic building at 100 Meeting St.

"The thing that brought on this move has been plaguing us for years," he said. "We have two important collections ... and they've really been competing with each other."

So Friday was the last day for researchers to visit the society's records in their longtime home. These documents are being boxed up and won't be available until Jan. 12, by which time all of them are scheduled to be moved to the College of Charleston's Addlestone Library. An opening ceremony is set for late February.

The Fireproof Building was designed by Robert Mills, who also designed the Washington Monument and the U.S. Treasury Building. At the time, it was considered ideal for storing records because its brick, brownstone and stucco weren't flammable, and its ample windows provided natural light that lessened the need for candles. The society began leasing the building in 1955 and moved there fully in 1968.

But Tucker said the Addlestone Library is much better suited to house historical documents because it has modern temperature and climate controls.

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