Richland County · Marker 40-183
A.S. Salley House
901 Laurens St., Columbia
Front inscription
Alexander S. Salley (1871-1961), the historian described as “a walking encyclopedia” of S.C. history, lived here from 1910 until his death. Salley, born in Orangeburg County, was secretary of the S.C. Historical Society in Charleston 1899-1905 and founding editor of the S.C. Historical & Genealogical Magazine. He was secretary of the Historical Commission of S.C. 1905-1949, preserving and publishing many state historical records.
Reverse inscription
Salley directed the Historical Commission (now the S.C. Department of Archives and History) until his reluctant retirement in 1949. In 1910 he built this Classical Revival house, designed by Wilson, Sompayrac, & Urquhart. Salley later converted a small house he had built nearby in 1908 (now at 1917 College Street) as his office and library. Connected to this house by a breezeway, it housed his extensive collection of S.C. history.