B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company warehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company
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West elevation of 912 Lady St
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| Location | 912 Lady St, Columbia, South Carolina |
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| Area | 0.14 acres (570 m2) |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| MPS | Columbia MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003370 |
| Added to NRHP | 2 March 1979 |
The B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company building is a cool old warehouse in Columbia, South Carolina. It's a three-story building that was built a long time ago, in 1916. This historic building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Contents
History of the Kirkland Building
Starting a Seed Business
Benjamin Brown Kirkland was a well-known local businessman. He started his company, Kirkland Distributing, in 1900. In 1908, his business became an official company.
He built this big warehouse in 1916. Farmers used to camp on this very spot. They would visit Columbia to sell their goods. They chose this place because of three natural springs. One of these springs still flows in the building's basement today!
Building Features and Products
The outside of the building is made of brick. It has pretty marble decorations. You can also see cool arched windows. Each of the three floors is very large. They are about 70 feet by 80 feet. The ceilings are also very tall, about 15 feet high. The natural spring comes up in one corner of the basement. Then, its water quickly goes down a drain.
Kirkland's company sold many different products. These included flour, grain, and hay.
Legal Challenges and New Owners
In 1918, Kirkland Distributing had a legal problem. They lost a court case to the Aunt Jemima Mills Company. The court decided that Kirkland's company logo was too much like another company's well-known trademark.
In 1966, the building got a new owner. It became the home of the Hinson Feed and Seed Company. Hinson's business stayed there until 1995.
The Building Today
By the 1990s, the area around the building changed. Old warehouses and factories became new, trendy places. This area is now called the Congaree Vista. Cool new businesses, restaurants, and shops moved into the renovated buildings.
Today, the B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company building is still busy. It houses several different businesses. Two of the most well-known are American Specialty Health, Inc. and the City Art Gallery.
- NRHP record for Reference Number 79003370
