National Historic Landmark · Charleston, South Carolina

Unitarian Church

Historic church in South Carolina. Added to the National Register in 1973, and a National Historic Landmark.

8 ArchdaleCHS-UU-outsideFloor Tile, Unitarian Church in Charleston, Harleston Village, Charleston, SC (49363695343)Front Door, Unitarian Church in Charleston, Harleston Village, Charleston, SC (49364376187)
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

The Unitarian Church in Charleston, home to a Unitarian Universalist congregation, is a historic church located at 4 Archdale Street in Charleston, South Carolina. It is the oldest Unitarian church in the South and the second oldest church building on the peninsula of Charleston.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeBuilding
Address6 Archdale St., Charleston, SC
CountyCharleston County
ListedNov 7, 1973
Listed forArchitecture
Level of significanceNational
Reference number73001696
ArchitectFrancis D. Lee
Type of placechurch building
StyleGothic Revival
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark
Contributing resources1 building
StandingYes

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

Address6 Archdale St., Charleston, SC
Websitecharlestonuu.org ↗
Coordinates32.7786° N, 79.9344° W · Directions ↗
Also in Charleston111 listed places in Charleston → · walking tours →
Nearest national park unitFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park · 4 miles · on Park Atlas
Federal campgrounds nearbyBuck Hall Recreation Area 28 miles
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Map

Local history books for Charleston

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • The Huguenot Church in Charleston
    Margaret Middleton Rivers Eastman and Richard Donohoe & Maurice Eugenie Horne Thompson, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • St. Philip's Church of Charleston
    Dorothy Middleton Anderson and Margaret Middleton Rivers Eastman, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Charleston's longest green line
    Donald M. Williams, 2011
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Six miles to Charleston
    Bruce Orr, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Vital signs in Charleston
    Carolyn B. Matalene and Katherine E. Chaddock, 2009
    Find at Bookshop.org

Guidebooks to historic places in South Carolina

  • Classic Carolina road trips from Columbia
    Thomas M. Poland, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Columbia Civil War landmarks
    Tom (Historian) Elmore, 2011
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Touring the Carolinas' Civil War sites
    Clint Johnson, 2011
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • A tour of historic Sullivan's Island
    Cindy Lee, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was Unitarian Church listed on the National Register?

Nov 7, 1973. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

Who designed Unitarian Church?

Francis D. Lee, working in the Gothic Revival style.

Source: Wikidata

Can I visit Unitarian Church?

Yes. Unitarian Church is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.

Source: Official website

Where is Unitarian Church?

6 Archdale St., Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. The nearest national park unit is Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, 4 miles away.

Source: Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

Are there historic photographs or drawings of Unitarian Church?

Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.

Source: Library of Congress

Where is the nomination form for Unitarian Church?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Are there campgrounds near Unitarian Church?

One federal campground is within reach, Buck Hall Recreation Area, 28 miles away.

Source: Campsite Atlas

Is there cell service at Unitarian Church?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Is there a wildfire near Unitarian Church right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest C-74 Fm Rx, 30 miles away.

Source: Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 73001696. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.