The history of the Battleship Silver began in 1910 when Governor M. F. Ansel,
on behalf of the State of South Carolina, presented the silver service to the
Battleship South Carolina.
The Battleship South Carolina, which was in service during World War I, was
scrapped in 1921. The United States Congress agreed to make the South
Carolina State Society Daughters of the American Revolution the custodians,
returning the silver service back to South Carolina.
As custodians, the SCDAR was asked to keep the service insured, as well as
preserved and exhibited.
In 1947 the SCDAR placed the silver service in the South Carolina Governor's
mansion, on loan. The silver has been featured on tours of civic,
historical, education, and government organizations. The silver, which
consists of 66 pieces, remains intact and is in an excellent state of
preservation.
Two punch cups, which were placed on loan by the State Society in 1975,
in the "new" USS South Carolina, a guided-missile frigate cruiser, were
returned to the Governor's Mansion when this ship was decommissioned in
1998.
When the Governor's Mansion was closed for extensive renovations in 1999,
nine pieces of the service were taken to the Governor's temporary residence on
Heyward Street in Columbia. The remainder was stored in a vault at the
Wade Hampton (State) Office Building until the restoration could be completed.
In early 2000, the entire set was moved to the Charleston Museum to be put on
public display for the duration of the restoration. This display was open
until the June 2001, when it was then returned to the Governor's Mansion.
The silver was made by Gorham Silver Company and was obtained through
Gilwreath-Durham of Greenville, South Carolina.
