St. Andrew's Hall, Charleston facts for kids
St. Andrew's Hall was an important building in Charleston, South Carolina. It was located on Broad Street. This hall was the main meeting place for the St. Andrew's Society of Charleston, South Carolina. It was also a very popular spot for social events among the wealthy families in Charleston.
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What Was St. Andrew's Hall Used For?
St. Andrew's Hall was a busy place! People used it for many different events:
- Big dances called balls
- Fancy dinners and banquets
- Concerts where music was played
- Meetings for important groups like the South Carolina Jockey Club and the St. Cecilia Society
The hall also had rooms where people could stay overnight. Two very famous visitors, President James Monroe and General Marquis de Lafayette, even stayed there!
St. Andrew's Hall and the Civil War
St. Andrew's Hall played a small but important role in the start of the American Civil War.
The Secession Meeting
On December 19, 1860, leaders from South Carolina met at St. Andrew's Hall. They gathered to talk about whether South Carolina should leave, or secede, from the United States.
The very next day, these same leaders moved to another building called Institute Hall (also known as Secession Hall). There, they voted 169 to 0 to secede from the Union. South Carolina was the first state to do this. Later, on April 3, 1861, they also approved the new Confederate Constitution in that same hall.
The End of St. Andrew's Hall
Sadly, both St. Andrew's Hall and Secession Hall were destroyed. A big fire swept through Charleston on December 11, 1861. The fire burned down both of these historic buildings.
