Big Apple – Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia‘s Big Apple has two interesting, but very different histories. Originally built as the House of Peace Synagogue between 1907 and 1910, this two-story building served as a place of worship for the Beth Shalom Congregation for almost 30 years. The congregation outgrew the building in 1935 and it was sold strictly on the condition that it would never again be used as a synagogue. By 1936 the building had been transformed into one of South Carolina‘s most popular African-American night clubs. It was here that locals started the dance craze that would soon be referred to as the “Big Apple.” The night club quickly adopted the moniker and the new dance spread throughout the rest of the country.

The building was added to South Carolina’s National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 1979. Just a few years later, the Big Apple was moved from its original location on 1318 Park Street to the corner of Hampton and Park streets and purchased by the Historic Columbia Foundation. Although the the building underwent extensive renovations, it still retains many of its original features such as the dome ceiling, horseshoe arches, and stained glass windows.

See a video of the Big Apple dance!

SCIWAY thanks David Asiamah of Columbia for this photo.