Charleston County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charleston County Courthouse
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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Charleston County Courthouse,
southeast corner |
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| Location | NW corner Broad & Meeting Streets, Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1790–92 |
| Architect | James Hoban |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Part of | Charleston Old and Historic District |
The Charleston County Courthouse is an important building in Charleston, South Carolina. It was built a long time ago, between 1790 and 1792. An Irish architect named James Hoban designed it. This building is special because it might have been a model for another very famous building: the U.S. White House in Washington, D.C.! Both buildings were inspired by Leinster House in Dublin, Ireland. Leinster House is where the Irish Parliament meets today.
The Charleston County Courthouse
The Charleston County Courthouse is a beautiful example of Neoclassical architecture. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It shows strength and importance.
A Design with History
The architect, James Hoban, created the design for the Charleston County Courthouse. This building is thought to be a practice run for his most famous project.
President George Washington visited Charleston in May 1791. He might have met James Hoban there. Washington then asked Hoban to come to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States at that time. In July 1792, Hoban won a contest to design the president's new home in Washington, D.C.. He later changed his design a bit, with ideas from President Washington.
Still Serving the Community
The Charleston County Courthouse is still used today. It is located in the historic district of Charleston. You can find it near Washington Square park.
This courthouse was built on the spot of an even older building. That building was the South Carolina Statehouse. It was built in 1753 and served as the capitol for the Colony of South Carolina. This was when the area was under British rule. The Statehouse burned down in 1788. James Hoban also designed a new statehouse building nearby. Sadly, that building was burned down during the American Civil War.
