Advanced First independent government formed among American colonies, March 1776 First British fort taken by the Americans under Gen Francis Marion in 1781 (Fort Watson, located in Clarendon County) First state to secede from the Union, December 20, 1860 First shot fired in Civil War on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, April 12, 1861 First municipal college - College of Charleston, opened April 1, 1838 First free library established - Charleston, 1698 First public museum - Charleston Museum, organized January 12, 1773 First building to be used solely as a theater - Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, constructed in 1736 First opera performed in America - Charleston, February 18, 1735 First female newspaper publisher in the US. - Elizabeth Timothy, of Charleston. She took over the South Carolina Gazette after her husband died in December 1738. First fireproof building built - Charleston, 1822 First ship built in America to cross the Atlantic Ocean - Port Royal, 1562 First steam locomotive built in the United States to be used for regular railroad service - "Best Friend of Charleston", 1830 First cotton exported to England, 1764 First tea planted - Middleton Barony, 1802. First commerical tea farm - Summerville, 1890 First indigo planted, 1671 First cotton mill built - James Island, 1789 First slave insurrection - Stono area near Charleston, 1739 First Black Baptist Church established - Silver Bluff, 1773 First Medal of Honor awarded to a Black recipient- W. H.Carney (Army), July 18, 1863 First Black Associate Justice of a state supreme court - J. J. Wright, February 2, 1870 First mutual fire insurance company - Friendly Society for the Mutual Insurance of Houses Against Fire, 1735 First business publication - South Carolina Price Current in Charleston, 1774 First textile school established in a college - Clemson, 1899 First U.S. Senator elected by a write-in vote - Strom Thurmond, November 2, 1954 First woman lawyer in South Carolina - Miss J. M. Perry of Greenville was admitted to practice on May 4, 1918. ©2006 The Palmetto Pages. Greenville, SC All Rights Reserved.