Immigration Center
Historic Property
Alternate Name:
Seabreeze
Street Address:
49 Immigration St., Charleston, SC (Charleston County)
Site Number:
2809
Control Number:
U/19/2809
Tax Number:
4590700002
Date Surveyed:
April 4 2003
Category:
Building
Construction Date:
1911 – 1913
Alteration Date:
circa 2000
Historic Use:
Government
Current Use:
Commerce/Trade
Historic Core Shape:
T
Architect or Builder:
Walker & Burdern with James Knox Taylor
Number of Stories:
2
Construction Method:
masonry
Exterior Walls Materials:
Brick
Foundation Materials:
Other
Roof Shape:
flat
Roof Materials:
not visible
Porch Width:
entrance bay only
Porch Shape:
flat
National Register Determination:
eligible;
Signficant Architectural Features:
Brick and stucco parapet; brackets under cornice; 1/1 windows; stone sills and lintels; upper windows have flat arch lintels; balcony over porch mimics parapet and roof; porch cornice; brickp porch supports; transom and sidelights around entry stone water table
Alterations:
Windows replaced; ramp added to south side; metal stairs added to rear
Historical Information:
The Federal Immigration Station, or Old Charleston City Jail was designed in 1911 by Walker and Borden Architects of Charleston. The supervising architect was James Knox Taylor of the U. S. Department of the Treasury. Construction was completed in 1913 at a cost of $70,000. The building was originally intended to accommodate immigrants to Charleston, thus making the port of Charleston the “Ellis Island” of the South Atlantic states. It was hoped that these immigrants would become laborers in agricultural and mill jobs, so desperately needed in South Carolina at the time. Sadly, only one shipload of immigrants arrived in Charleston’s port during this period of solicited immigration. The building was briefly used to manufacture over-alls during World War I, then stood vacant until 1940 when Charleston County converted it into the county jail for which it was used until 1968. It housed up to 200 prisoners, and was locally known as the “Seabreeze Hotel.”
Source of Historical Information:
Information from Lissa Felzer, City of Charleston
Quadrangle Name:
Charleston