The Babcock Building at the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum was constructed in four waves between 1857 and 1885. It was constructed based on a Renaissance Revival design and was adorned with wood floors and trim. This building contained a four-story central structure and North and South wings. Each floor of each block contained individual patient rooms until 1915 when renovation began.
Large open areas were created by removing partition walls, to provide patients with open dormitories and seating areas and electricity was also introduced.
In 1980, the wings were cleared of patients, but the central portion of the building was still being used.
The Babcock Building was placed on the National Historic Register in 1981.