If you’d like to go visit this great old building, well, you can’t. It no longer exists, like virtually all of the buildings constructed for the South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition held in Charleston from December 1901 to June 1902. in 1901-1902. This regional trade show was held on 250 acres of land that is now home to The Citadel and Hampton Park. The only buildings that remain are a bandstand and Lowndes Grove, which was the exposition’s Women’s building.
The image for this building, the Cotton Palace, was taken by Samuel Lord Hyde (1884-1959) when the Charleston photographer was a teenager. The Cotton Palace, the major focus of the exposition, was longer than a football field and had a 75-foot dome. The photo is part of the Lowcountry Digital Library at the College of Charleston. Photo republished with permission.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!
