French Quarter in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Old Exchange

Photographed by Mike Stroud, May 1991

1. The Old Exchange Marker

Inscription. The Old Exchange
Commissioned in 1767
by Act of
The General Assembly of
The British Colony of South Carolina
Completed in 1771
Deeded in 1917
by The United States Congress
to the South Carolina State Society
National Society
Daughters of the American Revolution
to be held in trust for
The Rebecca Motte Chapter DAR

Erected 1990 by the South Carolina State Society, NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution).

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Landmarks • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and the National Historic Landmarks series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1767.

Location. 32° 46.612′ N, 79° 55.622′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is in the French Quarter. It is on East Bay Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 122 E Bay St, Charleston SC 29401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Historic Charleston

and

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in the Lowcountry.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Convention on Ratification (a few steps from this marker); One Broad Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Walker, Evans & Cogswell Company (within shouting distance of this marker); Slave Auctions (within shouting distance of this marker); Lee Cohen Harby (within shouting distance of this marker); Second Bank of the United States (within shouting distance of this marker); As Old as Charleston (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tavern (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.

Regarding The Old Exchange. ... In Charleston,

The Old Exchange Marker<br>Far Right Marker Reads image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brian Scott, September 20, 2011

2. The Old Exchange Marker
Far Right Marker Reads

Designated an
Historic Customhouse
by
U.S. Commissioner of Customs
Myles J. Ambrose
January 27, 1972

enslaved African Americans were customarily sold on the north side of the Old Exchange Building. An 1856 city ordinance prohibited this practice of public sales, resulting in the opening of the Old Slave Mart and a number of other sales rooms, yards, or marts along Chalmers, State and Queen Streets.

Also see . . .
1. The History Of The Old Exchange. The Old Exchange Building housed the Charleston Post Office from 1815 to 1896 with brief interruptions due to earthquake and war. (Submitted on March 29, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

2. Exchange and Provost. The Exchange and Provost Building, built 1767-1771, served during the last quarter of the 18th century as a customhouse, public market, public meeting place, military prison and barracks. (Submitted on December 13, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Additional keywords. Customhouse; Provost Dungeon; Slavery; Lee Cohen Harby.

The Old Exchange, 122 Bay St. in Charleston image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, 1991

3. The Old Exchange, 122 Bay St. in Charleston

Photographed by Stanley and Terrie Howard, May 16, 2009

4. The Old Exchange Marker

Photographed by Stanley and Terrie Howard, May 16, 2009

5. The Old Exchange Marker

South Carolina Voted to ratify the Federal Constitution in this building on May 23, 1788. Among the 100 members of the convention on ratification wre Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John Rutledge, three of the four South Carolinians who had served as Delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Erected by the South Carolina State Society of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution

Photographed by Stanley and Terrie Howard, May 16, 2009

6. The Old Exchange Marker

Tribute to Lee Cohen Harby - plaque on the north exterior of the Old Exchange Bldg. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard E. Miller, April 17, 2010

7. Tribute to Lee Cohen Harby - plaque on the north exterior of the Old Exchange Bldg.

"In memory of Lee Cohen Harby 1849 - 1918 who by her patriotic and untiring efforts secured this building for the Daughters of the American Revolution of South Carolina as a gift from the United States Government. May 9, 1917 --------- A tribute from the Daughters of the American Revolution of South Carolina 1924"

The Old Exchange Bldg. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Richard E. Miller, April 17, 2010

8. The Old Exchange Bldg.

Designated an
Historic Customhouse
by
U.S. Commissioner of Customs
Myles J. Ambrose
January 27, 1972

The Old Exchange in Charleston image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 8, 2013

9. The Old Exchange in Charleston

The Old Exchange Historic American Engineering Record image. Click for full size.

Historic American Buildings Survey, Charles N. Bayless, July 1984

10. The Old Exchange Historic American Engineering Record

Habs SC,10-CHAR,72--11

Old Exchange and Custom House 1865 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon Fletcher

11. Old Exchange and Custom House 1865

[Charleston, S.C. The Post Office (old Exchange and Custom House, 122 East Bay), Barnard, George, 1865 Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,528 times since then and 51 times this year. Last updated on February 23, 2024, by Carolyn Sanders of Plano, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on March 29, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 2. submitted on December 13, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 3. submitted on March 29, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 19, 2009, by Stanley and Terrie Howard of Greer, South Carolina. 7, 8. submitted on April 22, 2010, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 9. submitted on August 8, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 10. submitted on January 3, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 11. submitted on August 14, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.