"F" is for the Farmers' and Exchange Bank of Charleston. Completed in 1854, the bank building is among the finest examples of the Moorish-revival style in the United States. Architect Frank D. Lee of Charleston designed the bank. The two-story facade is arranged in a three-bay format and clad in mottled New Jersey and Connecticut brownstone. It is highlighted by exuberant ornamentation that includes rounded horseshoe arches and Eastern-inspired decorative motifs. The opulent interior features arcaded walls, elaborate plaster decoration, and a coffered ceiling and skylight. Honeycombed vaulting, a common feature in Islamic architecture, forms the building’s cornice. In a city known for its traditional architecture, the building is a bold and striking anomaly. The Farmers' and Exchange Bank was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1973.
"F" is for the Farmers' and Exchange Bank of Charleston
