The Old City Jail

Tucked away in the heart of historic Charleston, the Old City Jail stands as a haunting reminder of the city's darkest past. The jail, which was operational from 1802 until 1939, housed Charleston's most infamous criminals, 19th-century pirates and Civil War prisoners.

Tens of thousands of human tragedies unfolded inside the jail's walls. But the very same walls captured the architectural significance of the period, including an addition to the facility designed by Robert Mills, America's first native-born architect.

In 2000, the American College of the Building Arts acquired the Old City Jail after it had sat vacant for 61 year. Most of the facility's original structures remain intact. Upon acquisition, the College initiated an emergency stabilization program to meet the immediate needs of this historic property. Preservation efforts are on-going.

The College began in 1998 when a small team led by Charleston native John Paul Huguley created the School of the Building Arts (SoBA) in Charleston. Inspired by legendary Charleston master artisan, Philip Simmons, SoBA was established to solve the growing problem in building preservation that became evident in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo swept through Charleston severely damaging many of the city's historic structures.

Even though the city sought to restore these buildings to their historic glory using traditional building methods and materials, it was soon discovered that despite Charleston's commitment to historic preservation, there were only a few local craftsmen trained and qualified for the task. The lack of master craftsmen is not unique to Charleston as quality design and craftsmanship training have been steadily declining throughout the nation.

After the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education licensed the School to begin recruiting on July 8, 2004, the name of the institution was changed to the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) to more accurately reflect its place in the American educational hierarchy.

Today, the Old City Jail is an official "Save America's Treasures" project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the White House Millennium Council. It serves as an inspirational living laboratory and classroom for all ACBA students.

Access to the jail is limited, and most easily attained through Bulldog Tours' Haunted Jail Tour, which takes visitors through the cells, hallways and into the dark places where Charleston's worst criminals lived and died. Tickets for the nightly tours are available at 40 N. Market St. This tour is not recommended for children or those faint of heart.

To learn more about the American College of the Building Arts, please visit www.buildingartscollege.us.

Read more about Charleston's fascinating history in Exploring Our Past.

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