Marion Square, Public park in downtown Charleston, US
Marion Square is a ten-acre public park in downtown Charleston with open lawns, mature oak trees, and paved walkways connecting different areas. The space features several monuments and is located at the intersection of Meeting and Calhoun Streets.
John Wragg sold 8.75 acres here to the provincial government in 1758 for 1,230 pounds, to build a defensive wall against Native Americans and later the British. The works were obsolete by 1783, when the land passed to the new city government; in 1789 the state reacquired the northern edge for a tobacco inspection complex. The Citadel occupied the arsenal on the north side from 1843 until 1922, when it moved west, giving the ground the name Citadel Green.
The name honors Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War general. Since 1913 a tree has been placed on the square each Christmas season, and on Saturdays in summer a farmers market fills the grounds; the Food and Wine Festival and the Spoleto Arts Festival also use the space. The Citadel's cadets drilled here from 1843 to 1922, when the square was known as Citadel Green.
The park is accessible year-round and offers plenty of space to walk and rest under large trees. Visitors should come on Saturday mornings from April through November to explore the farmers market with fresh produce, crafts, and food.
The 1858 time capsule was found in January 2021 while workers finished removing the base of the John C. Calhoun statue, which City Council had taken down in June 2020. It had been placed beneath the monument during its construction.
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