Cigar Factory Explained

Cigar Factory
Coordinates:	32.7978°N -79.9347°W
Built:	1882
Architecture:	Victorian commercial
Refnum:	80003658

The Cigar Factory is a building on the National Historical Register.^[1] Located at 701 East Bay Street, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, it was constructed in 1881 and opened in 1882 as the Cotton Mill of Charleston.^{[2] [3]} In 1912, it was purchased by the American Cigar Company who converted it into a cigar factory that was the largest private employer in Charleston during the 1930s.^[4] In the 1940s, it was the location of the 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike where the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" emerged.^[5]

A $30 million redevelopment of the structure began in 2014. By 2017, the factory was mostly leased.^[6] Current businesses in the building include restaurants, salons, an event venue, and an ophthalmologist's office.^{[7] [8]}

References

1. Web site: Cigar Factory, Charleston County. National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Nov 22, 2012.
2. News: The Charleston Steam Cotton Mill Now in Operation. Charleston News & Courier. Dec 29, 1882. A1.
3. News: The New Cotton Mill. Dec 3, 2012. Charleston News & Courier. Dec 6, 1881. 4 (col. 1).
4. News: Tobacco Factory Has Long History . Charleston News & Courier . Oct 4, 1983 . October 12, 2013 . Hill, David . B4.
5. Web site: Civil rights anthem rose to prominence in Charleston strike . The Post & Courier . September 21, 2003 . March 8, 2014 . Peterson, Bo . B1.
6. Web site: McDermott. John. 2017-03-22. Charleston's landmark Cigar Factory is refinanced. 2020-08-05. Post and Courier. en.
7. Web site: Directory. 2020-08-05. Cigar Factory. en-US.
8. Web site: Contact Retina Consultants of Charleston Leading Retina Specialists. 2022-02-16. www.retinacharleston.com. en.