Marion Square facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marion Square
Marion Square looking northeast, with the Old Citadel (left) and the L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building (right) in the background

Marion Square is a large green space in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. It covers about six and a half acres. This square was first created as a parade ground for a state arsenal being built nearby.

Many people know it as the former Citadel Green. This is because The Citadel, a famous military college, used the arsenal building from 1843 until 1922. The square is named after Francis Marion, a hero from the American Revolutionary War.

A Look at Marion Square's History

This 1865 photo shows the original Citadel building. You can see a part of the city's old defensive wall, called a horn work, in the front. This horn work is still there today!

Marion Square is surrounded by Calhoun Street (south), Meeting Street (east), Tobacco Street (north, for walking only), and King Street (west). The land for the square came from a larger piece of land given to the South Carolina colony in 1758.

This land was first used to build a defensive wall. This wall helped keep the city safe from Native Americans and, later, from the British. By 1783, the city no longer needed these defenses. The land then became part of the new city government.

Who Owns and Manages the Park?

The square is owned by two groups: the Washington Light Infantry and the Sumter Guards. These groups have helped protect the park over the years. For example, they stopped city officials from turning the park into a parking lot in the 1940s and 1950s. They also prevented it from becoming a shopping center.

Today, the city of Charleston manages Marion Square as a public park. A special agreement says that the center of the square must always be open. This keeps it ready for parades and other open-air activities. Marion Square is right across from the historic Citadel Square Baptist Church and the old Citadel building.

Monuments and Memorials in the Square

This 1892 photo of Marion Square shows the first version of the Calhoun Memorial.

Marion Square is home to several important monuments. These include a memorial for the Holocaust, which remembers a terrible time in history. There is also an obelisk dedicated to Wade Hampton III.

A large statue of John C. Calhoun once stood here. This bronze statue was on top of a tall pillar. The first Calhoun monument was not very popular. A new one was built in 1896 by artist J. Massey Rhind.

However, in 2017, people began to question Calhoun's views on slavery. Because of widespread protests against racism in June 2020, the city council decided to remove the statue. In January 2021, a time capsule from 1858 was found while removing the statue's base.

Activities and Events at Marion Square

In the past, a bandstand was built in the square in 1944. It was a place for political rallies and other events. However, it fell into disrepair and was removed in 2000.

Today, Marion Square is a lively spot. During the summer, it hosts a farmers market every Saturday. Many festivals also take place here, like the Food and Wine Festival and the Spoleto Arts Festival. Since 1913, a Christmas tree has been placed in Marion Square each holiday season.

Marion Square historical marker for the Siege of Charleston. The center of the defensive works was called the hornwork. It had a two-foot-thick wall made of lime and oyster shells. There were also two ditches and 93 cannons.