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The term “cisternating,” referred to hanging out in the Cistern. "At one time, mandatory daily prayers were held at the College Chapel (now Alumni Hall), and, when chapel released early, students would gather afterward to socialize on the Cistern" (Meyer).

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“At that time, the Cistern was the whole world of the College of Charleston"
- Dr. Nan Morrison

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CofC Day is one of many events held at the Cistern

Other events held here include: convocation, spring commencement, concerts and other events

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The Cistern is at the center of the College of Charleston's campus on George St. Many people associate the Cistern with CofC since they are so deeply intertwined, having a huge impact on its students, faculty, and alumni. The Cistern is also used by outsiders of The College to reach a much wider audience, “the Cistern has also been the setting for TV shows such as the NBC’s Today Show, CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, ABC’s The View... also shown up on the big screen in movies such as The Patriot, The Notebook and Dear John” (Get Ready For Graduation: Four Facts About the Cistern, Robertson).

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CofC's Religious History: "The influence of religion is obvious when we look back at our history, but religion is still acting on the forces that are alive today at the College,” says Duggar.

The Cistern, as a Sacred Space: Many practices, including commencement, are held on the Cistern yard. Although, it was not used for commencement until the 1930s before it was held in other churches and areas around Charleston. Students had decided they wanted graduation to be held on campus, and the Cistern yard was the only area big enough to hold them all. Overall, the Cistern is seen as sacred to many people, especially The College of Charleston. Many big and important ceremonies are held here by The College.

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Who? What? When? Where? Why?:
The Cistern Yard takes its name from a cistern that was installed in 1857. Located on The College of Charleston’s campus, the cistern was originally designed to collect rainwater from Randolph Hall and the Towell Library roofs. This helped with flooding, fires, and the collection of drinking water. Additionally, in the early 1930s, graduation ceremonies started to occur in the Cistern rather than the usual Alumni Hall or churches around downtown. Holding graduation at the Cistern Yard slowly became a tradition.  For generations of students, this sacred place has served as a place to study, socialize, host campus and community events, and to protest and celebrate.

Insider History: As stated above, generations of students and faculty have utilized this space for years. It has also welcomed many high-profile guests such as Barack Obama. Furthermore, The Cistern has not so much changed but has more so developed over the time.

Outsider History: Many tourists see this space as a historical site or just a pretty place to take pictures. Over the years, it has been a spot for all to enjoy in their own ways.

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"Cistern — the name refers to the "large, grassy, oval area fronting Randolph Hall" (Colin).

Generations of students and people have attended this yard to sit, study, and converse. It has also attracted numerous tourists and visitors to see the beautiful architecture and lively-ness of the area. This is also a place where many students received their college diplomas. There is so much history behind this sacred site and it is a huge part of Historic Charleston.

Cistern Yard is the heart of the College of Charleston campus. This yard is used as a green space for students. It is also used as a venue for convocation, spring commencement, concerts, and other events.

The Cistern yard is 3-acres and has a wrought-iron fence surrounding the yard. The design of the fence is of a spear and axe. It was constructed by Charleston Craftsman Christopher Werner and the idea was approached by Charleston architect Edward Brickell.

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1. Berry, Mark. “A Landmark Restoration.” The College Today, 7 Sept. 2011, today.cofc.edu/2011/09/07/cistern-yard/.

2. College of Charleston, urca.cofc.edu/glance-at-research/celebration-of-scholars-2020/a-religious-history-of-the-college-of-charleston.php.

3. McCandless, Colin. “Crossing the Cistern: The History behind College of Charleston's Graduation Traditions.” Mount Pleasant Magazine, 7 Aug. 2019, mountpleasantmagazine.com/2019/learning/crossing-cistern-history-behind-college-charlestons-graduation-traditions/.

4. Mercer, Amy S. “Religious Studies Students Uncover CofC's Complex Religious History.” The College Today, 9 Dec. 2020, today.cofc.edu/2020/12/08/religious-studies-students-uncover-cofcs-complex-religious-history/.

5. Robertson, Mike. “Get Ready For Graduation: Four Facts About the Cistern.” The College Today, 22 May 2018, today.cofc.edu/2015/05/13/get-ready-for-graduation-four-facts-about-the-cistern/.

6. Ron Menchaca, “Cistern Yard,” Discovering Our Past: College of Charleston Histories, accessed December 9, 2020, https://www.discovering.cofc.edu/items/show/7.

7. Walker, Kristin B. “So What in the World Is a Cistern?” Charleston InsideOut, 29 Nov. 2016, charlestoninsideout.net/2009/08/20/so-what-in-the-world-is-a-cistern/.

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Chickens, goats, and a cow once roamed the cistern yard. The animals belonging to a College janitor who lived in Porter’s Lodge (Menchaca).

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The College of Charleston has a 24/7 live view of The Cistern Yard.

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Live view from Randolph Hall of The Cistern Yard. The Cistern Yard (with the raised, oval Cistern in the foreground) is the literal and figurative center of campus. Each spring, this is where the College's commencement ceremonies take place. And, in late May and early June each year, this space serves as a performance venue for jazz artists during the Spoleto Festival USA. During some Spoleto performances, the blinds in this window may be closed.

This view made possible by the Office for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning

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Live view from Randolph Hall of The Cistern Yard. The Cistern Yard (with the raised, oval Cistern in the foreground) is the literal and figurative center of campus. Each spring, this is where the College's commencement ceremonies take place.

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66 George St, Charleston