Past Meets Present

A black and white photo of the old post office on Gervais Street, which is now the South Carolina Supreme Court.

An inquiry about the original doors to the Supreme Court of South Carolina building on Gervais Street turned into a treasure hunt, yielding images of Columbia that are pretty different than what we know today. The law librarian at the Court asked for anything we could find about the front doors to the building, which was a post office until the state bought it in 1966. Images like this one from the Digital Public Library of America show their appearance. Connecting with the National Archives, we learned that the building's architectural drawings and plans are on file in Maryland.

Upcoming Event

A large number of books open on a table, their text visible.

Discover the State Library: Poetry Across South Carolina

April 22, 2025, 1:00 PM

Please join us to learn about the many South Carolina-related print and digital resources available for research through the South Carolina State Library. In this webinar, we'll explore the poetry of South Carolina. Hear about our award-winning poets, verses from state history, collaborations by writing groups, and more.