Its main campus is located in the heart of historic downtown Charleston. The building pictured here, Randolph Hall, is listed in the National Historic Register, along with the nearby library and gate lodge.

In the foreground stands an old cistern, which was built in 1857 to help control flooding and fight fires. Eventually this technology became outdated and the cistern was filled in and covered with grass. The Cistern Yard is shaded by live oak trees and is a favorite spot for students to relax and study. It is also the location of the College’s graduation ceremony each May on Mothers’ Day.

SCIWAY thanks William Stuart Morgan III of Columbia for this picture taken in July 2012.

Learn more about the history of the College of Charleston.

In 1891, the school was renamed the South Carolina Industrial and Winthrop Normal College and became the first state-supported college for women in South Carolina. The name was changed to Winthrop College, the South Carolina College for Women in 1920. Winthrop remained a female college until the early 1970s when it became coeducational.

The above picture shows Tillman Hall, the first building constructed on the campus. Originally called Main Building, Tillman Hall was completed in 1894 and is one of the few remaining examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in South Carolina. The building was renamed in 1962 to honor former South Carolina governor and early advocate of the school Benjamin R. Tillman. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

SCIWAY thanks photographer Gary Killough of Summerville for sharing this picture he took in April 2012.

When the school first opened its doors, Rutledge College was the only building on campus. Eventually, eleven other buildings were added, all facing into a beautiful garden area where students could gather. These buildings formed a U-shape which is now known as the Horseshoe.

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the campus expanded greatly. A student union, 21 residence halls, numerous academic buildings, the popular Longstreet Theatre, an arts center, a coliseum, and of course Williams-Brice Stadium have all been added.

The University of South Carolina continues to expand its facilities towards the Congaree River to better support its research plans and initiatives. This new part of the campus is called Innovista, and it mixes private and university research buildings with commercial and residential facilities.

Even with these changes, many students still enjoy the natural beauty of the Horseshoe. Wireless internet is available in this area, and you will often see students studying and reading under the oaks.

Some of the most famous buildings on the Horseshoe are the:

South Caroliniana Library: Built in 1840, this library was the first freestanding college library in the nation. Today it houses special collections and USC’s archives. J. Rion McKissick, the school’s 19th president, is buried in front of this building.

McKissick Building: Built in 1940 on the site of the original president’s house, the museum sits prominently at the head of the horseshoe. The visitors center is housed here, making McKissick the university’s “front door.” The McKissick Building is also the home of many historical collections and southern archives.

President’s House: The original faculty housing was destroyed by water damage in the early 1800s, and the President’s House was built in 1854 to replace that loss. It was used as faculty housing until 1952 when it became the home of the university’s president.

This building was constructed in 1940 on the site of the original USC president’s house and sits prominently at the head of the horseshoe. The visitors center is housed here, making McKissick the University’s “front door.”

The McKissick Building is also the home of many historical collections and southern archives.

For more information, please visit the museum’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Wilson Jumper of West Columbia for submitting this picture he took in 2012.

Do you know more about the history of this building? Please send it to us!

The library was built in 1840 and was the first freestanding college library in the nation. Today it houses special collections and USC’s archives. J. Rion McKissick, the school’s 19th president, is buried in front of this building.

For more information, please visit the library’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Wilson Jumper of West Columbia for submitting this picture he took in 2012.

Do you know more about the history of this building? Please send it to us!

Claflin University was founded by Methodist missionaries in 1869 and is the oldest of the historically black colleges in South Carolina.

Like most early buildings constructed on the campus, Tingley Memorial Hall was designed by African-American architect William Wilson Cooke of Greenville. Wilson entered Claflin University in 1888, where he studied under Charles Bates, the first registered African-American architect in the country. The building is named for Samuel Herbert Tingley, a banker and philanthropist from Rhode Island who made several generous donations to the university.

Many thanks to Ginger Parker of Orangeburg for sharing this photo.

The library is located at 112 Lee Street in Clemson. For more information, visit the library’s main website.

Many thanks to Gary DuBose of Seneca for submitting this great information and picture he took in December 2010. Gary says that this “photo was taken on a lonely evening with students and staff gone for the holidays.”

“The interior of the building has been rebuilt a couple of times. The first was after it was gutted by a fire only a few years after being constructed. The second time was in the 1980s when the building was extensively renovated.”

Special thanks to Gary DuBose of Seneca, who captured this image in March 2010. Gary is a Clemson alum and a chemistry teacher at Daniel High, a local Clemson area school. Since his wife works at the university, he visits the campus a good bit and says it is one of his favorite places to walk and take photos.

The new bell tower, dedicated in May of 1965, was built to the same specifications as the old tower. The sixty bells in the carillon were cast in Holland.Linking the past with the future, the iconic bell tower represents Furman for graduates and current students alike. Its image appears on the school’s seal and on University publications and advertisements. And on a very practical note, the bell tower is an important reference point when giving directions on campus!