Old Greenville City Hall
Encyclopedia
The Old Greenville City Hall, is a former building in Greenville, South Carolina
. It was originally built as the U.S. Courthouse and Post Office in 1889 on the corner of Main and Broad Streets. After 1938, it was transferred to the City of Greenville and used as its city hall. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places
on August 19, 1971. After its demolition in 1972 or 1973, it was removed from the National Register in 1973.
, who was Supervisory Architect
of the United States Department of the Treasury
. It was built in 1889 on the site of the former home of Colonel David Hoke. The resident architect for the construction was James R. Lawrence, who moved from Port Huron, Michigan
for the project and is locally recognized as the architect.
An addition on the north side was made in 1909. James Knox Taylor
was the Supervisory Architect and signed the drawings. More alterations or minor additions were made in 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, and 1931.
The U.S. Circuit Court
for the Western District of South Carolina met here until 1898. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of South Carolina
met here until 1937.
The City of Greenville traded a parcel of land on East Washington Street for the courthouse and post office. After construction of the new post office on that parcel, the building became the Greenville City Hall in 1938.
The present City Hall was built in the adjoining lot was formerly occupied by the local Masonic Temple. The Old City Hall was demolished in the early 1970s. A parking garage
was built on its site, located across Broad Street from the Peace Center
.
style. It had castellated towers and precast terra-cotta insets. It had a red tiled roof. The building has been described as similar to the Smithsonian Castle
.
The foyer had pink marble floors. It had a staircase with half-turns on the landings that led to the tower.
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
. It was originally built as the U.S. Courthouse and Post Office in 1889 on the corner of Main and Broad Streets. After 1938, it was transferred to the City of Greenville and used as its city hall. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on August 19, 1971. After its demolition in 1972 or 1973, it was removed from the National Register in 1973.
History
The court office and post office was designed by James H. WindrimJames H. Windrim
James Hamilton Windrim was a Philadelphia architect who specialized in public buildings.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he apprenticed under John Notman, and opened his own office in 1867...
, who was Supervisory Architect
Office of the Supervising Architect
The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings from 1852 to 1939....
of the United States Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
. It was built in 1889 on the site of the former home of Colonel David Hoke. The resident architect for the construction was James R. Lawrence, who moved from Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
for the project and is locally recognized as the architect.
An addition on the north side was made in 1909. James Knox Taylor
James Knox Taylor
James Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period.-Early career:The son of H...
was the Supervisory Architect and signed the drawings. More alterations or minor additions were made in 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, and 1931.
The U.S. Circuit Court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
for the Western District of South Carolina met here until 1898. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of South Carolina
United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
The United States District Court for the District of South Carolina is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of South Carolina...
met here until 1937.
The City of Greenville traded a parcel of land on East Washington Street for the courthouse and post office. After construction of the new post office on that parcel, the building became the Greenville City Hall in 1938.
The present City Hall was built in the adjoining lot was formerly occupied by the local Masonic Temple. The Old City Hall was demolished in the early 1970s. A parking garage
Multi-storey car park
A multi-storey car-park is a building designed specifically to be for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place...
was built on its site, located across Broad Street from the Peace Center
Peace Center
The Peace Center is located adjacent to Falls Park in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. It is an arts center that contains the 2100 seat Peace Concert Hall, 400 seat Dorothy Hipp Gunter Theater, and the Dow Brands Amphitheater located beside the Reedy River...
.
Architecture
The two-story building was designed in the Richardsonian RomanesqueRichardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style. It had castellated towers and precast terra-cotta insets. It had a red tiled roof. The building has been described as similar to the Smithsonian Castle
Smithsonian Institution Building
The Smithsonian Castle, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. behind the National Museum of African Art, houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center...
.
The foyer had pink marble floors. It had a staircase with half-turns on the landings that led to the tower.