Midtown - Downtown in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
South Carolina State Hospital, Mills Building
South Carolina Lunatic Asylum
Original Building
South Carolina State Hospital
Designed by Robert Mills
150 Years
Healing With Concern
1822 - 1972
South Carolina Department
Of Mental Health
(Lower Left Medallion)
The National Register of Historic Places
South Carolina
Department of History
and Archives
South Carolina State Hospital
Mills Building
(Lower Right Medallions)
American Revolution Bicentennial
Richland County Committee
53
Landmark
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.
Location. 34° 0.882′ N, 81° 1.991′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Midtown - Downtown. Marker is on Bull Street (U.S. 76) near Elmwood Avenue (U.S. 321,21). Located on Hospital Campus, right side of Bull Street Driveway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2100 Bull Street, Columbia SC 29201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named South Carolina State Hospital (within shouting distance of this marker); Modjeska Simkins House (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pieces of the Past (approx. 0.2 miles away); 1900 Block of Henderson Street / William J. Sumter (approx. 0.2 miles away); An Enduring Landmark (approx. 0.2 miles away); Seibels House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Setting Up Shop and Making Room for More Family (approx. 0.2 miles away); Prosperity and Property Ownership (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Regarding South Carolina State Hospital, Mills Building. (South Carolina Lunatic Asylum) Designed by native South Carolina architect Robert Mills, the ca. 1827 South Carolina State Hospital Mills Building is considered to be an example of Mills at his best, distinctive in its boldness of conception, its inventive quality, its simplicity and power. It is a structure of national importance in the architectural development of America. It is also the oldest structure in the United States continuously used as a mental hospital. Early additions to the Classical Revival style building (in 1838 and 1842) are associated with Samuel Sloan, another architect of national reputation. The fact that the talents of both men are preserved in one building is unique. Mills was a great exponent of the classic tradition, particularly the Greek Revival, while Sloan was more eclectic. Sloan exhibited his talents in the State Hospital Mills Building in such a way that the structure appears to be the work of one man. Mills’s architecture is characterized by his capable and unerring, but sometimes unorthodox, treatment of classic motifs. His use of the high basement and porticos, supported by arcades, his great interest in fire-resistant construction, and his frequent use of round-headed single windows and of flat-headed triple windows are exemplified in the State Hospital. The hospital was among the first authorized, and the third completed, mental hospitals in America built with public funds. The State Hospital design reflects reforms that were far ahead of its day. Fireproofing of the building was also uncommon and an area in which Mills was a leader. The State Hospital continues an existence of beauty and usefulness; an enduring monument to the dedication of the founders and to the master architect, Robert Mills. Listed in the National Register June 5, 1970; Designated a National Historic Landmark November 7, 1973.(South Carolina Department of Archives and History)
Also see . . .
1. Robert Mills (architect) from Wikipedia. Mills studied in Charleston, South Carolina as a student of Irish-born architect James Hoban who later designed the White House which became the official home of US presidents. (Submitted on September 24, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
2. Mills Building, South Carolina State Hospital, From Wikipedia. ... formerly known as the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum.... (Submitted on September 24, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,529 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 24, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 5, 6. submitted on May 8, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.