The Standard Oil Company built the headquarters for their Charleston oil refinery at 1600 Meeting Street in 1926.  Charleston became the oil center of the Carolinas with the Charleston refinery supplying all of the gasoline being sold by The Standard Oil Company in both North and South Carolina. Asphalt from the Charleston refinery was used to pave the streets of downtown Charleston. 

This refinery played an extensive role in both the social and economic development of Charleston. By increasing the ship movements and tonnage flowing through the port, the refinery not only created jobs, but a sense of community.