• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SC Picture Project

The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

  • FIND A LANDMARK
    • BY CITY
    • BY COUNTY
    • BY CATEGORY
    • BYGONE LANDMARKS
  • ADD IMAGES
  • VOLUNTEER
  • SPONSORS
  • DONATE

Anderson Arts Center

SC PICTURE PROJECT 1 Comment

SC Picture Project / Anderson County / Anderson Arts Center

This former warehouse in downtown Anderson was built in 1909 for the Sullivan Hardware Company. The hardware company, which initially sold general merchandise, was established in 1875 by James S. Sullivan and his uncle C.S. Mattison. By 1885 the store had turned solely to hardware. It prospered, and by 1909 the Sullivans had opened a branch in nearby Belton. They also constructed this three-story Romanesque Revival warehouse. The business continued to blossom for much of the twentieth century, with branches and warehouses in several Upstate cities and North Carolina. The company closed in 1986. Today the former Anderson store serves as a restaurant called Sullivan’s Metropolitan Grill, and the historic warehouse, seen here, is the home to the Anderson Arts Center.

Anderson Arts Center

Glenn Brill of Anderson, 2012 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The Anderson Arts Center, which also operates the Caroline Stringer Rainey Gallery in the historic Anderson Carnegie Library, bought the warehouse in the early 2000s. After restoring the building, the Anderson Arts Center moved into the warehouse in 2006. The former warehouse now hosts exhibits, events, classes, and a cooperative gallery called Bay 3 Artisan Gallery. The building also serves as the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau and houses several other organizations as well.

The Anderson Arts Center is listed in the National Register as the Sullivan Hardware Company Warehouse within the Anderson Downtown Historic District:

The Anderson Downtown Historic District is primarily significant as a well-preserved late nineteenth/early twentieth century commercial area. The district retains a typical town plan with a courthouse square in its center, as well as numerous good examples of Victorian, Romanesque Revival, and Beaux Arts commercial architecture. Anderson, incorporated 1833, is also significant for its role as a commercial, governmental, and cultural center for Anderson County. The Anderson Downtown Historic District is comprised of approximately 97 commercial structures, the County Courthouse, the Anderson City Hall, a Victorian fountain, and two historic monuments. The brick constructed structures date primarily from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and are located in the heart of Anderson’s central business district. The courthouse and surrounding square serve as the focal point of the historic district.

Balloons Over Anderson Festival


The Balloons Over Anderson event takes place every year with the Anderson Arts Center participating as a sponsor. The event features hot air balloons and is dedicated to helping the public understand how they operate, as well as educational experiences about other air-related activities. All proceeds benefit local charities. Photographer Craig Childress Johnson shared the following about his gorgeous photo below: “I have been photographing balloon festivals for twenty years here. I never tire of their magic. This particular image was made during the Balloons Over Anderson Festival in 2013.”

Hot Air Balloons over Anderson

Craig Childress Johnson of Anderson, 2013 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Plan Your Trip: Anderson Arts Center

Where is Anderson Arts Center located?
Address: 110 Federal Street, Anderson, SC 20625
GPS Coordinates: 34.506187,-82.651634
What else should I see?
Sullivan-King Mortuary 0.1 mile
Anderson Carnegie Library 0.1 mile
Chiquola Condominiums 0.3 mile
Anderson County Courthouse 0.4 mile
Show me more like this!
  • Anderson Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina National Register
    Anderson Arts Center Map

    Please Help Us Stay Online

    We’d like thank everyone who generously supports the South Carolina Picture Project. You provide us with the inspiration and financial support we need to keep doing what we do. Every reader’s contribution, larger or small, is valuable. If you have enjoyed this website or found it helpful, please pitch in. Each donation helps – and it only takes a minute. Thank you!

    Support the SC Picture Project!

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    You may also like

    You may also like

    Anderson's Historic DistrictBrock-Brown-Hall House Caldwell-Johnson-Morris HouseCaldwell-Johnson-Morris Cottage Anderson County Arts CenterAnderson Carnegie Library Sullivan-King MortuarySullivan-King Mortuary 1025 South Main St. in Anderson, SC1025 South Main Street

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephen martin says

      January 9, 2017 at 3:24 AM

      I have a vintage portrait of the singing Carter family from Nashall Commercial Studios in Anderson, South Carolina. Any information you can give me on that studio will be greatly appreciated.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    FIND A LANDMARK

    Why This Site Matters

    Help Keep This Site Online

    We depend on the support of today’s readers to document South Carolina’s landmarks for future readers. Please help us continue this important work by making a donation below.

    $ 50.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Credit Card Info
    This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.

    Donation Total: $50.00

    Recent Posts

    • H.L. Hunley
    • Strand Theater
    • Camden Depot
    • Charleston City Marina
    • Secession Hill

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    Footer

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    CONTACT US

    We’d love to hear from you! Send us a quick email at share@scpictureproject.org.

    If you are looking for permission to use a photo, please reach out directly to the photographer listed in the image’s credit.

    JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

    The South Carolina Picture Project has two Facebook groups. One is dedicated to SC Historic Landmarks and Iconic Landscapes, and the other is dedicated to SC Nature and Wildlife.

    South Carolina Picture Project © 2022 · All Rights Reserved