Cigar Factory
Cigar Factory | |
Cigar Factory | |
| Location | 701 East Bay St., Charleston, South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°47′52.0116″N 79°56′4.8078″W / 32.797781000°N 79.934668833°W |
| Built | 1882 |
| Architect | A. D. Lockwood & Company |
| Architectural style | Victorian commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003658 (NRHP nomination) 100011360 (NHL designation) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 25, 1980 |
| Designated NHL | December 13, 2024 |
The Cigar Factory is a historic industrial building at 701 East Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina. It was constructed in 1881 and opened in 1882 as the Cotton Mill of Charleston.[1][2] In 1912, it was purchased by the American Cigar Company who converted it into a cigar factory that was the largest private employer in Charleston during the 1930s.[3] In the 1940s, it was the location of the 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike where the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" emerged.[4] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2024.
A $30 million redevelopment of the structure began in 2014. By 2017, the factory was mostly leased.[5] Current businesses in the building include restaurants, salons, an event venue, and an ophthalmologist's office.[6][7]
References
- ^ "The Charleston Steam Cotton Mill Now in Operation". Charleston News & Courier. December 29, 1882. p. A1.
- ^ "The New Cotton Mill". Charleston News & Courier. December 6, 1881. p. 4 (col. 1). Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Hill, David (October 4, 1983). "Tobacco Factory Has Long History". Charleston News & Courier. pp. B4. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
- ^ Peterson, Bo (September 21, 2003). "Civil rights anthem rose to prominence in Charleston strike". The Post & Courier. pp. B1. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
- ^ McDermott, John (March 22, 2017). "Charleston's landmark Cigar Factory is refinanced". Post and Courier. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
- ^ "Directory". Cigar Factory. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
- ^ "Contact Retina Consultants of Charleston | Leading Retina Specialists". www.retinacharleston.com. Retrieved February 16, 2022.