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898 Barnwell Street

Capstone House

Although the University Hill neighborhood resisted the University of South Carolina's eastward expansion in the 1960s, they were unable to stop the purchase and demolition of historic homes on Barnwell Street and Gibbes Court, which cleared the way for Capstone's construction. Completed in 1967 by architects G. Thomas Harmon and William J. Keenan of Harmon and Keenan, this structure was the first residence for honors students at the University of South Carolina and featured the state's first rotating restaurant on the top floor. The base and mechanical parts for the dining facility (which remains open today) were acquired from an exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Today Capstone House serves as a residence hall.

  • Capstone House interior

    Capstone House interior, 1960s. Image courtesy Dave Sennema

  • Capstone House

    Capstone House, 1960s. Image courtesy Dave Sennema

34.0002764, -81.0214857

NTHP Preservation Award Winner
Historic Columbia

© 2026 Historic Columbia

Administrative Offices
1601 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Tours
All historic house and garden tours start at the Welcome Center at Robert Mills.
1616 Blanding Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Questions? Call (803) 252-7742.

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