SC Historical Society

The SCHS museum is housed in the historic Fireproof Building located at 100 Meeting Street in the heart of the French Quarter in downtown Charleston.  Thie building was designed by Charleston-born architect Robert Mills, who also designed the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.  The Fireproof Building is a National Historic Landmark and the headquarters of the South Carolina Historical Society as well as the SCHS museum.  Designed to be the first fire resistant building in the country, it was constructed using over 900,000 bricks, metal window frames, a copper roof and a firebreak created by widening Chalmers Street and establishing what is now Washington Park.  This fascinating building has two porticoes with hay basket planters and large planted containers at the front entrance courtyard. The Garden Club of Charleston is engaged in reimagining the seasonal plantings, expansions, lighting and care of these container gardens to further enhance public visibility and appeal.