Marion Square
Marion Square | |
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Coordinates | 32°47′13″N 79°56′9″W / 32.78694°N 79.93583°W |
Marion Square is
The square is bounded by Calhoun (south), Meeting (east), Tobacco (a pedestrian only
The square is jointly owned by the Washington Light Infantry and the Sumter Guards.[4] Their objections prevented city officials from paving the park as a parking lot in the 1940s and in 1956[5][6] and also prevented its development as a shopping center.[7] It is operated as a public park under a lease by the city of Charleston. Under the terms of the lease, the center of the square is kept open as a parade ground.[8] Marion Square is situated directly across from Citadel Square Church and the South Carolina State Arsenal (Old Citadel).
The space is a favorite place for College of Charleston students because of its proximity to campus. In 2003, city council member Wendell Gaillard proposed banning sun-bathing in Marion Square ("This 'Girls-Gone-Wild'-type attitude has caught ahold all across the country. We don't want it to get to that point . . .," Gaillard said),[9] but his proposal was met with little support; Gaillard claimed that exposing churchgoers and families to sunbathing was wrong and that sun-bathing students might attract stalkers to the area.[10]
The square is the home to many monuments, including a
In 1944, a bandstand in the Art Moderne style was built according to plans by Augustus Constantine.[17] The structure had originally been planned to house restroom facilities for white servicemen, but a bandstand component was added to the plans. The bandstand became a spot for political rallies, but the restrooms were a constant problem because of vandals.[18] The bandstand was ultimately razed during a refurbishing of the park that began in August 2000[19] and concluded in 2001.[20] The bandstand had been in very poor shape since at least 1961 when city council approved its removal.[21]
During the summer the square is also the home to a farmers market on Saturdays[22] and various festivals such as the Food and Wine Festival[23] and the Spoleto Arts Festival. Since 1913 a tree has been placed in Marion Square for the Christmas season.[24]
References
- ^ a b "Marion Square". National Park Service.
- ^ Charleston County Tax Map Geographical Information System, TMS Number 4601604005
- ^ Stockton, Robert (February 5, 1973). "Marion Square Misplaced By City Appropriate Error". News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 1–B. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ The Joint Board of Officers of the Washington Light Infantry and the Sumter Guards, 287 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
- ^ "Marion Square Conversion To Parking Lot Proposed". News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. May 13, 1956. pp. 4A. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ "Deed Prevents Marion Square Use for Parking". News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. November 20, 1945. p. 4. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Behre, Robert (November 27, 2003). "Marion Square rises from scruffy past to be seen as city's true center". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 25A. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Charleston Business Journal, Article on Revitalization of Marion Square, November 9, 1998, Accessed June 30, 2007.
- ^ Hardin, Justin (April 25, 2003). "Marion Square sunbathing burns up councilman". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 1A. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Hardin, Jason (May 3, 2003). "Sunbathing crusade mostly stirs up hot air". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 1A. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "The John C. Calhoun Monument". Charleston News & Courier. January 31, 1886. p. 8. Retrieved Oct 8, 2012.
- ^ "A Good Riddance". Charleston News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. November 27, 1894. p. 8. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ "His Lady Friends". Evening Post. Charleston, South Carolina. August 8, 1896. p. 5.
- ^ Waters, Dustin. "Looking back at the origins of Charleston's most controversial monument". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved 2019-04-28.
- ^ "Crews Begin Removal Of John C. Calhoun Statue In South Carolina". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
- ^ Bean, Riley. "Crews find potential time capsule in base of Calhoun Statue in Charleston". Charleston, South Carolina. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ "Bandstand to Be Erected Soon in Marion Square". Charleston News & Courier. March 26, 1944. p. 12. Retrieved Aug 9, 2013.
- ^ Alston, John A. (August 27, 1973). "Bandstand May Regain Prominence". News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 1–B. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Hardin, Jason (August 15, 2000). "Ceremony marks start of Marion Square work". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. 3B. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ "Rededication Wednesday for 'new' Marion Square". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. December 3, 2001. pp. 3B. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ "Council Discusses Razing Bandstand". News & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. July 19, 1961. pp. 3A. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Hardin, Jason (March 7, 2002). "Farm market returning to Marion Square". Post & Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. pp. B1. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Raskin, Hanna (2019-06-28). "If you have $95 to spend on Charleston Wine + Food, these 6 events offer bang for the buck". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
- ^ "Christmas Tree in Public Park". Charleston Evening Post. Dec 16, 1913.
- ISBN 978-0-471-32716-5.
- Moore, Margaret H. (1997). Complete Charleston: A Guide to the Architecture, History and Gardens of Charleston. TM Photography, Inc. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-9660144-0-2.
- Simmons, Jack (2003). The Vision for Marion Square. The Charleston City Guardian. Archived from the original on 2004-07-20. Retrieved 2011-02-09.