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St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (Charleston, South Carolina)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary of the Annunciation Roman Catholic Church is the first Roman Catholic parish in the Carolinas and Georgia
. The current building at 93 Hasell St. in Charleston, South Carolina
, is the third structure to house the congregation on this site.
The property and an old building were purchased in 1789. It was incorporated as the Roman Catholic Church of Charleston by the South Carolina General Assembly
in 1791. The first structure was replaced by a brick church that burned in the Charleston fire in 1838.
The church was rebuilt quickly and reopened on June 9, 1839. It is a rectangular building, 84 ft (25.6 m) by 50 ft (15.2 m). It is built of brick with a stucco
covering. There are four Doric
columns that support a large entablature
. The parapet
wall at the top of the church was probably constructed around 1896. There are stained glass windows imported from Munich
.
The nave
has a central aisle and two large rows of pews. There are smaller pews along the side aisles. Above the altar
, there is a painting of the Crucifixion
by John S. Cogdell
. The artist donated this painting to replace an earlier painting he had done in 1814, which was destroyed in the fire.
The church graveyard is on each side and to the rear of the church.
In the early 1980s, the neighboring Charleston Place complex was constructed, bordering the church on all sides. It was the only structure preserved on the lot, besides the few storefronts facing Meeting Street which were incorporated in the parking structure.
The St. Mary's Church is on the National Register of Historic Places
, No. 76001697. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information. and copies of the nomination forms.
There are additional pictures and information available from the Historic American Building Survey at the Library of Congress
.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The current building at 93 Hasell St. in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, is the third structure to house the congregation on this site.
The property and an old building were purchased in 1789. It was incorporated as the Roman Catholic Church of Charleston by the South Carolina General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
in 1791. The first structure was replaced by a brick church that burned in the Charleston fire in 1838.
The church was rebuilt quickly and reopened on June 9, 1839. It is a rectangular building, 84 ft (25.6 m) by 50 ft (15.2 m). It is built of brick with a stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
covering. There are four Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns that support a large entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
wall at the top of the church was probably constructed around 1896. There are stained glass windows imported from Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
has a central aisle and two large rows of pews. There are smaller pews along the side aisles. Above the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, there is a painting of the Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
by John S. Cogdell
John S. Cogdell
John S. Cogdell was a U.S. sculptor, who lived in Charleston, South Carolina in the first half of the nineteenth century. He was also a lawyer and public official, and was a member of the city's St...
. The artist donated this painting to replace an earlier painting he had done in 1814, which was destroyed in the fire.
The church graveyard is on each side and to the rear of the church.
In the early 1980s, the neighboring Charleston Place complex was constructed, bordering the church on all sides. It was the only structure preserved on the lot, besides the few storefronts facing Meeting Street which were incorporated in the parking structure.
The St. Mary's Church is on 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...
, No. 76001697. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional pictures and information. and copies of the nomination forms.
There are additional pictures and information available from the Historic American Building Survey at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.