Charleston Arsenal, Military arsenal in Charleston, United States.
The Charleston Arsenal is a two-story brick building on Meeting Street that encloses an interior courtyard with design features from multiple construction periods. The structure retains its fortress-like appearance while adapting to modern commercial use.
The arsenal was built between 1825 and 1832 to store weapons and ammunition for the U.S. military. Control shifted in 1860 when South Carolina militia forces took over the facility during the Civil War crisis.
The facility transformed from a military storage site to The Citadel military academy in 1842, preparing generations of military leaders for South Carolina.
The building now functions as a hotel and is visible to visitors from its public facade on Meeting Street. The original arsenal architecture remains intact and contributes to the historic character of downtown.
Citadel cadets stationed at the arsenal fired the first shots of the Civil War on January 9, 1861, targeting the Union vessel Star of the West.
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