Charleston's Old Exchange Building

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the great buildings of Colonial America. Serving as city hall, customs house, post office and prison; as the British Headquarters during the occupation of Charles Towne and then host to a great ball honoring George Washington, the Exchange has been an eyewitness to America's history. This stoic building--designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975--has been described as the best example of the dignity and ornament of the traditional English--exchange-town hall--design of the eighteenth century built in the United States. From within its Great Hall to deep below in the Provost Dungeon, the Exchange has played a vital role in American history.