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

By John Blake White, Wikimedia Commons

Speaker at the Center Series: An American Revolution Panel Discussion

July 16, 2026, 2:30 PM

Join us for our next Speaker at the Center event, where six panelists will explore the history of the American Revolution. Even 250 years after America gained independence, historians and experts continue to debate key questions. Come listen as they use artifacts and primary sources to clarify the facts in these discussions.