Cigar Factory

The Cigar Factory is a historic industrial building at 701 East Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina. It was constructed in 1881 and opened in 1882 as the Cotton Mill of Charleston.^[1][2] In 1912, it was purchased by the American Cigar Company who converted it into a cigar factory that was the largest private employer in Charleston during the 1930s.^[3] In the 1940s, it was the location of the 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike where the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" emerged.^[4] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2024.

The Cotton Mill of Charleston opened in late 1882.

Cigar Factory
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Cigar Factory
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Location	701 East Bay St., Charleston, South Carolina
Coordinates	32°47′52.0116″N 79°56′4.8078″W
Built	1882
Architect	A. D. Lockwood & Company
Architectural style	Victorian commercial
NRHP reference No.	80003658 (NRHP nomination) 100011360 (NHL designation)
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 25, 1980
Designated NHL	December 13, 2024

A $30 million redevelopment of the structure began in 2014. By 2017, the factory was mostly leased.^[5] Current businesses in the building include restaurants, salons, an event venue, and an ophthalmologist's office.^[6][7]