National Register of Historic Places

McMaster School

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
Listed
July 24, 1997
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
97000777

About this property

The McMaster School, built in 1911, is an historic building located at 1106 Pickens Street on the corner of Senate Street in Columbia, South Carolina. It was designed by noted Columbia architect William Augustus Edwards of the firm of Edwards and Walter. Edwards and his partner, Frank C. Walter, designed sixteen schools according to standardized guidelines established by the state legislature in 1905. The architects chose a Renaissance Revival style with H-shaped floor plans used as the standard for the state in buildings designed and constructed by other architects. The State newspaper declared it the "handsomest school building in Columbia" when it opened in 1911. The local school administration named the building after Fitz William McMaster (1826-99), honoring his contributions to organizing Columbia's public schools, his leadership as a Confederate colonel, and his role in white supremacist resistance to Reconstruction in their dedication. South Carolina's current governor, Henry McMaster, is a descendant of Fitz William McMaster. The building served as a public primary school for white children until 1956, when school districts across the state were consolidated in response to the state's low literacy rates, gaps between urban and rural schools, and federal mandates to end racial segregation. The University of South Carolina purchased the building in 1960 and renamed it McMaster College. UofSC renovated the building to house the music and art departments and added an auditorium and rehearsal hall. The School of Music moved into its own building in 1993 and the Department of Art took over, replacing the auditorium with a substantial addition that doubled the building's square footage in 1997–99. The Department of Art rebranded as the School of Visual Art and Design in 2015. On July 25, 1997, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Location

1106 Pickens St.
Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
34.00230, -81.02602

Categories

ARCHITECTUREEDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about McMaster School

This page lists McMaster School. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your McMaster School report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Horry-Guignard House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Whaley, W. B. Smith, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Taylor House
Industrial
0.1 mi
South Carolina State Library
Industrial
0.1 mi
McCord House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was McMaster School listed on the National Register?

McMaster School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1997.

What type of historic resource is McMaster School?

McMaster School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for McMaster School?

The period of significance for McMaster School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near McMaster School?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near McMaster School will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Richland County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Richland County.

Explore RichlandCounty ›

More historic places in South Carolina

Browse all historic places in South Carolina.

View South Carolinahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

South Carolina history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

South Carolinahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near McMaster School will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report