139 - Washington Street UM Church - Columbia, SC
N 34° 00.304 W 081° 01.885
17S E 497098 N 3762718
One of many historic churches in the capitol city. This is also a Historic Methodist Location.
Waymark Code: WM9PKM
Location: South Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 09/14/2010
Views: 5
Washington Street United Methodist Church is one of Columbia’s four most historic churches. Organized in 1803, the congregation built a frame church that was the first house of worship in Columbia. A brick structure built in 1830s burned in 1865. According to legend, the church was destroyed by Union soldiers looking for First Baptist Church, site of the first meeting of South Carolina secession convention, and were directed here by a Baptist sexton. A small chapel built of brick salvaged from ruins was replaced by the present church that was erected with funds collected throughout the nation. Completed in 1872, the Washington Street Church is a red brick Victorian Gothic church with double-shouldered buttresses and a large arched center entrance with double doors flanked by similar arched entrances. The church features a fully developed tower with a steeple on the left side of the front façade with matching lines extending to the roofline on the right. Both towers are topped with four pinnacles with unusual crown-shaped ornaments, giving the appearance of Islamic influence. Stained glass windows depict life of Christ without using human figures. Listed in the National Register December 18, 1970.
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from the historic marker:
A church was built here between 1803 and 1805; another church, erected 1832, was burned by Union troops in 1865 and reconstructed in 1866 of salvaged brick and clay mortar. Present church dedicated 1875. Bishop Wm. Capers (1790-1855), founder of missions to slaves in S. C., was pastor and is buried here.
1938 by The Columbia Sesquicentennial Commission of 1936. (Marker Number 40-21.)