by Erin M. Ritz

Created on: May 30, 2009   Last Updated: August 13, 2009

The Fireproof Building in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the most architecturally-significant buildings in America. It is located at 100 Meeting Street at the corner of Chalmers Street and one block north of Broad Street. Originally the home of the Charleston District Records office, the South Carolina Historical Society now resides within the large, stone structure. The Fireproof Building is known as the oldest building to be constructed with fireproof plans in the United States.

Robert Mills designed the building in 1827. Mills was the first trained architect working in America who was also born in America (other architects up to this time had been born outside the country). He was native to Charleston. Mills planned many buildings throughout the country, including the Washington monument.

His primary goal in the design of the Fireproof Building was to protect the public records which were to be stored inside. Not a single flammable material, such as wood, was used in its construction. The building is mainly constructed in stone. Its style is Greek Doric, with four thick, white columns shielding the front of the structure. The columns are two stories in height. The first floor of the building is ornamented with a darker, brick faade while the top two stories are covered with a stone appearance.

There are many windows adorning the Fireproof Building. The window sashes and shutters are made of strong iron. The triple window features are typical of Robert Mills' architectural style. On the sides of the building, there are three floors, each with three windows. The center windows feature three panes each.

The roof of the building was originally constructed with copper. It is interesting that during the Civil War, pieces of the copper roof were stolen. After the war, the roof of the Fireproof Building was reconstructed with a tin covering.

On August 31, 1886, Charleston, South Carolina was hit by the largest earthquake ever experienced in the southeastern United States. At least sixty lives were lost and some of the damage can still be seen today. The Fireproof Building, due to its solid stone construction, withstood the brunt of the earthquake. Only the exterior stairs were damaged.

In 1969, the Fireproof Building was nominated and received a place on the National Register of Historic Places. A copy of the nomination papers is available on the internet at http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817 710009/S10817710009.pdf. Four years later, the building was registered as a National Historic Landmark.

The South Carolina Historical Society's library in the Fireproof Building is accessible to visitors on Monday through Friday, from 9AM to 4PM or on Saturdays from 9AM to 2PM. Members can access the archives for free, but there is a $5.00 charge for non-members. If you just want to gaze at the historical architecture, the building is located on a main block. You can stand outside the entrance and admire the craftsmanship and thoughtfulness of the buildings. Or, you can step inside the front doors and check out the oval hallway and the amazing stone staircase. For more information, visit the South Carolina Historical Society's website (http://www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org).

Much of the information used in this article was retrieved from the Charleston Historic, Religious and Community Buildings site (http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/fir.htm) and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History (http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817 710009/index.htm).

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