The Cigar Factory is a building on the
National Historical Register. Located at 701 East Bay Street,
Charleston, South Carolina, USA, it was constructed in 1881 and opened in 1882 as the Cotton Mill of Charleston. In 1912, it was purchased by the
American Cigar Company who converted it into a cigar factory that was the largest private employer in Charleston during the 1930s. In the 1940s, it was the location of the
1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike
The 1945–1946 Charleston Cigar Factory strike was a labor strike involving workers at the Cigar Factory in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. The strike commenced on October 22, 1945, and ended on April 1 of the following year, with ...
where the civil rights anthem "
We Shall Overcome
"We Shall Overcome" is a gospel song which became a protest song and a key anthem of the American civil rights movement. The song is most commonly attributed as being lyrically descended from "I'll Overcome Some Day", a hymn by Charles Albert ...
" emerged.

A $30 million redevelopment of the structure began in 2014. By 2017, the factory was mostly leased. Current businesses in the building include restaurants, salons, an event venue, and an ophthalmologist's office.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cigar Factory
National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
National Register of Historic Places in Charleston, South Carolina
Buildings and structures in Charleston, South Carolina
Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
Historic cigar factories
Tobacco buildings in the United States