National Loan and Exchange Bank Building
National Register Listing
Street Address:
1338 Main St., Columbia, SC (Richland County)
Alternate Name:
Barringer Building
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817740033
Description and Narrative:
(Barringer Building) Commonly known as the Barringer Building, Columbia’s first skyscraper was completed in October 1903 for the National Loan and Exchange Bank. The twelve-story Commercial style building is brick with rusticated stone on the lower two floors and stone detailing around the top floor. The 184 foot tall building is supported by a steel frame. Brickwork has a horizontally striped appearance: between rows of four bricks are recessed rows two bricks high. The twelfth floor is brick with stone keystones over windows and stone panels on either side of end windows. Stonework includes garland festoons and an ornamented torus under windows. John Cain of Columbia was the contractor and the design has been attributed to James Brite. Edwin Wales Robertson, president of the Loan and Exchange Bank, as well as a prosperous Columbia developer and entrepreneur is credited with the idea of erecting the building. In 1893, Robertson established the Canal Dime Savings Bank. By 1903 he had purchased controlling interests in two other banks to form the Loan and Exchange Bank, at the time the largest in South Carolina. The present name comes from the Barringer Corporation which owned the building from 1953 until 1974. The building was renovated in the 1960s. Listed in the National Register March 2, 1979.
Period of Significance:
1903
Level of Significance:
State
Area of Significance:
Architecture
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
March 2 1979
