Abbeville County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Abbeville County Courthouse (South Carolina)
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Abbeville County Courthouse (South Carolina)
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Court Square, Abbeville, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | William Augustus Edwards; builder: Frederic Minshall |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| MPS | Courthouses in South Carolina Designed by William Augustus Edwards TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000706 |
| Added to NRHP | October 30, 1981 |
The Abbeville County Courthouse is a historic building in Abbeville, South Carolina. It was built in 1908 and stands in the east corner of Court Square. This important building serves Abbeville County, South Carolina.
A famous architect named William Augustus Edwards designed the courthouse. He was from Darlington, South Carolina. Edwards designed many other courthouses in South Carolina. He also designed buildings for colleges in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The courthouse is connected to the Abbeville Opera House and Municipal Center. Edwards designed these buildings too.
In 1964, the courthouse was updated by a company from Columbia, South Carolina. On October 30, 1981, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special place recognized for its history. It is also part of the larger Abbeville Historic District.
History of the Courthouse
The current courthouse is the sixth one to serve Abbeville County. Many courthouses stood on this spot before. Each one played a part in the county's story.
Here is a quick look at the previous courthouses:
- First Courthouse: This was a wooden building. It was taken down in 1825.
- Second Courthouse (around 1825): This building was made of brick. It had two stories. It was torn down because workers used bad materials. They used a clay called kaolin instead of proper lime in the mortar.
- Third Courthouse (around 1829): Robert Mills designed this one. He was living in Abbeville at the time. However, this building started to sink. It was thought to be unsafe.
- Fourth Courthouse (around 1853): This building was destroyed by a fire in 1872.
- Fifth Courthouse (around 1875): This building was replaced by the courthouse we see today in 1908.
Artwork Inside
Inside the main hallway of the courthouse, you can find a portrait of John C. Calhoun. He was a very important person in American history. Calhoun served twice as Vice President. He was also a longtime senator for South Carolina.
Calhoun was born not far from Abbeville. He grew up on his father's farm. For a short time, he practiced law in the county square. The courthouse actually stands on the land where Calhoun's first law office was located.
