Orangeburg in Orangeburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church

Photographed by Mike Stroud, June 3, 2010

1. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Marker

Inscription. (Front text)
This church was founded in 1873 with Rev. Dave Christie as its first pastor. In 1877 trustees Emily A. Williams, Richard Howard, and Irwin Mintz purchased a small lot here, on what was then Market Street before Glover Street was laid out. They soon built a frame church, which stood for almost thirty years. Additional acreage purchased in 1909 allowed the congregation to build an addition and parsonage.
(Reverse text)
This Gothic Revival church was designed by Miller F. Whittaker (1892-1949), a professor at S.C. State Agricultural & Mechanical College (now S.C. State University), one of the first black architects in S.C., and a member of this congregation. The cornerstone was laid in 1919, and the church was completed about 1925. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Erected 2006 by The Congregation. (Marker Number 38-30.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Notable Buildings • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1873.

Location. 33° 29.191′ N, 80° 51.626′

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W. Marker is in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in Orangeburg County. It is on Glover Street near Middleton Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1198 Glover Street, Orangeburg SC 29115, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry

and in Santee Cooper Country.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

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: Orangeburg Confederate Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Jewish Merchants / Jewish Life (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Two Old Guns Of Captain Henry Felder (approx. 0.3 miles away); Court House Square (approx. 0.3 miles away); Judge Glover's Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Karen J. Williams (approx. 0.4 miles away); Earl Middleton (approx. 0.4 miles away); Representative James E. Clyburn (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orangeburg.

Regarding Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church is an elegant essay in Gothic Revival architecture. Its picturesque massing and distinctive detailing attest to the talents of its architect, Miller F. Whittaker, who prepared plans for the building in 1915. Whittaker was the director of the Department of Mechanical Arts at South Carolina State College and was also the first African American architect practicing in South Carolina. Construction of the building began ca. 1915, but it was not
completed until ca. 1925 due to financial difficulties. The congregation is said to have

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Marker, reverse side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, June 3, 2010

2. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Marker, reverse side

been organized in 1873, and until ca. 1919 worshiped in a frame building that sat to the northeast of the present building. The one-story brick church features two towers on the facade with pyramidal metal shingle roofs and corbeled battlements, Gothic arched stained glass windows, louvered Gothic vents and decorative brickwork. The front doors give access to a two-story narthex. Staircases on each side lead to the nave and balcony. Rose windows are displayed at the front and rear of the interior. Listed in the National Register September 20, 1985. (South Carolina Department of Archives and History)

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, June 3, 2010

3. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church and Marker

National Register of Historic Places: Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church (added 1985 - Building - #85002345) • Architect, builder, or engineer: Minger,I.J., Whittaker,Miller F. • Architectural Style: Gothic Revival • Area of Significance: Black, Architecture • Period of Significance: 1900-1924 •

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Marker, looking east along Glover Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, June 3, 2010

4. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Marker, looking east along Glover Street

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church image. Click for full size.

South Carolina Department of Archives and History, circa 1985

5. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church

Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Interior image. Click for full size.

South Carolina Department of Archives and History

6. Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church Interior

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 25, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,510 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 25, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.