704 DeKalb Street
City Directories and History: Trinity United Methodist Church – This African American church facing DeKalb street is one of the most handsome of Camden’s beautiful churches, with a rich history of providing educational and spiritual guidance to the community. The church was constructed in 1925 by R.D. Belton, contractor.
The Yorkville Enquirer of Dec. 21, 1887 reported – “An industrial school and home for colored girls will soon be built in Camden by the Women’s Home Mission Society of the North. The location is south of the Negro Free School building.” (Location unknown.)
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Architecturally and militarily significant, Camden was a center of activity in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and its architecture reflects the two centuries of its growth. The city was named in honor of Lord Camden, British champion of colonial rights. In 1774 wide streets were laid off in a grid pattern. The town expanded northward as shown in a 1798 plat. The plat set aside six parks which formed the basis for the city’s
present 178 acres of beautiful parkland. Most of the original town was destroyed by the fire of 1813. This accelerated growth northward to the Kirkwood area, north of Chesnut Street. Originally, the houses in this area were summer cottages, but by 1840 Kirkwood was a year-round residential area of handsome mansions and elaborate gardens. Many of the mansions were built around the cottages, which still survive at their core. Contributing properties are mostly residential but also include public buildings, a church, and a cemetery. Camden’s architecture is classically inspired and includes examples of Federal and Classical Revival, in addition to cottage-type, Georgian, Charleston-type with modifications, and mansion-type houses. Several of the city’s buildings were designed by noted architect Robert Mills. Listed in the National Register May 6, 1971. Courtesy of the SC Dept. of Archives and History
View a map showing the boundaries of the Camden Historic District.
View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property to read about numerous structures in Camden, S.C.
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