Poinsettia pulcherrima in his honor.
Location. 34° 50.918′ N, 82° 24.004′ W. Marker is in Greenville, South Carolina, in Greenville County. Marker is on South Main Street. Touch for map. The marker is located between the Old Greenville County Courthouse and the Old Chamber of Commerce Building. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 South Main Street, Greenville SC 29601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
children of Brenda and Dan Bruce.
distance of this marker); Poinsett's Spring (within shouting distance of this marker); Chamber of Commerce Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Spirit of Freedom (within shouting distance of this marker); City of Greenville 9-11 Plaque (within shouting distance of this marker); Greenville County Courthouse / The Willie Earle Lynching Trial (within shouting distance of this marker); Carolina Supply Company (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); South Carolina's First National Bank (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.
to Charleston, S.C., in 1800; studied law for a few months; traveled extensively in Europe from 1801 to 1809, returning to the United States for short intervals; sent to South America by President Madison in 1809 to investigate the prospects of the revolutionists there in their struggle for independence from Spain; returned to Charleston, S.C., in 1816; member of the state house of representatives 1816-1819; served as president of the board of public works; declined the offer of commissioner to South America by President Monroe; elected as a Republican to the Seventeenth Congress reelected as a Jackson Republican to the Eighteenth Congress, and elected as a Jacksonian to the Nineteenth Congress and served from March 4, 1821, to March 7, 1825, when he resigned to enter the diplomatic service; Minister to Mexico 1825-1829; member of the state house of representatives, 1830-1831; Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President Van Buren 1837-1841; died near what is now Statesburg, Sumter County, S.C., December 12, 1851; interment in the Church of the Holy Cross (Episcopal) Cemetery.
years, but he also served as the first consul-general of the United States to Buenos Aries, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile. He studied medicine and law, and not surprisingly was extremely well traveled, but he also had interests in natural history, science, and politics.
Did You Know? Poinsett was named secretary of war by President Martin Van Buren, and during that tenure he worked with other like-minded public servants to found the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor to the Smithsonian Institute.
By an Act of Congress, December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who is credited with introducing the native Mexican plant to the United States. The purpose of the day is to enjoy the beauty of this popular holiday plant.
— Submitted March 11, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
"The future of the United States in maritime commerce is immense. we are surely called to become the first maritime power of the globe. This is the result partly of the produce of our soil. We have in this country a mass of raw goods that the whole world needs. We are the most natural carriers of it. Furthermore, our national genius calls us to become, like the English, the brokers of foreign nations. Look at what is happening already: there are hardly any but Americans to carry to Europe the products of America, and European products arrive in America on American ships. Our vessels fill the harbours of Le Havre and Liverpool, in our own we see hardly a French or English vessel.
facade. The composition is capped by a capital story, which is separated from the intermediate shaft by a belt course. The capital story has brick diapering between the windows. A broad friese with terracotts festoons and urns between small transom windows is above these windows. A full cornice with dentils and modillion blocks surmounts the frieze. A balustrades parapet is above the cornice. The side and rear elevations of the Poinsett Hotel are less elaborate, with regular fenestration. The hotel features a ballroom, a convention hall, a male dining room, private dining rooms, a grill room, a lounge, eight to ten shops and stores, and 210 guest rooms, each with a private bath. The ballrooms and convention hall are both intact.
A massive stone bridge with pointed arches of rough wedge-shaped blocks under which runs Gap Creek, a mountain stream. Constructed without concrete in 1820, the date inscribed on its keystone, the bridge was part of an old State Road from Charleston to North Carolina.
Constructed in 1820, the bridge is one of the oldest spans extant in South Carolina. Impressive construction of wedge-shaped rocks, erected without concrete, has pointed Gothic arches that are rate in the state today. Part of the State Road from Charleston through Columbia to North Carolina designed in 1817-1819 by Joel Poinsett, director of the South Carolina Board of Public Works. The bridge was named in his honor. Poinsett was also secretary of war, minister to Mexico, and first president of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, forerunner of the Smithsonian Institute. Since he was elected to Congress in 1820, the road (1829) and possibly the bridge were completed under the supervision of Abram Blanding, acting commissioner of the board. According to local legend, the bridge was built with the help of Indians living in the area.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on June 1, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,804 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 1, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 3. submitted on January 11, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 4. submitted on May 26, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 5. submitted on March 10, 2010, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 6. submitted on June 1, 2008, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7, 8. submitted on January 11, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 9. submitted on March 21, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 10. submitted on April 12, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 11. submitted on January 11, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 12. submitted on February 3, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 13. submitted on April 12, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 14. submitted on March 21, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 15. submitted on April 12, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.