The Charleston architectural firm Jones & Lee designed the building and construction of the church at 328 Meeting St. began in June 1855 . The new building was opened on November 23 , 1856 . A hurricane in 1885 blew over the original steeple and a year later , the 1886 Charleston earthquake damaged the tower . The tower was repaired and a steeple designed by the Boston , Massachusetts architect Edward Silloway was installed . Following Hurricane Hugo , which blew the steeple off of the church , it was rebuilt at 210 feet , shorter than the steeple of St. Matthew 's across Marion Square ; the choice was to avoid a race for the tallest steeple
1886 Charleston earthquake
1886 Charleston earthquake
Citadel Square Baptist Church