Charleston is one of the loveliest cities in the country, despite having weathered great fires, earthquakes, epidemics, civil war and a devastating hurricane. It is consistently classed among the most elegant and dignified cities nationwide.
Situated on the peninsula at the confluence of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers on South Carolina's Atlantic coast, the colonial port of Charleston is the oldest city in the state, filled with brick and cobblestone streets, and a large downtown district boasting thousands of carefully preserved and restored buildings that house old-fashioned inns, antique shops and pubs.
The streets are lined with tall, narrow houses festooned with wrought iron balconies and wooden shutters, ornate iron gates enclosing pretty gardens and shaded porches - the timeless features of southern architecture. Many of its double-storey houses are authentically furnished museums that once belonged to wealthy colonial merchants, while many are still the beautiful private homes of wealthy residents.
The city started as an important seaport serving the rice and cotton plantations throughout the region, and it was a major slave-trading centre with a third of America's slaves being bought and sold at the riverfront market.
The Gullah culture of the islands (people of West African ancestry speaking a language based on English with elements from several African dialects) have a tangible presence here, especially at the Old City Market that vibrates with the humming of traditional spirituals, as basket ladies sell their hand-woven grass wares among the local vendors and iron makers, and the distinctive sound of the Gullah dialect fills the air.
Attractions
| America's first museum, the Charleston Museum was founded in 1773 while the United States was still a British colony, inspired by the opening of the British Museum in 1759. Encompassing three historic buildings, the museum aims to preserve the unique culture and natural history of Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry. Exhibitions include cultural, historic and natural history artefacts and alongside are two National Historic Landmark houses, the Heyward-Washington House and Joseph Manigault House, which depict the graceful architecture and wealthy lifestyle of southern life in days gone by. The exhibitions cover a wide range of daily life topics, such as clothing, and the museum has a particularly good permanent textile collection on display. The Joseph Manigault House is a good example of Federal architecture, influenced by the French Huguenots who moved to America to escape religious persecution. The house is furnished with pieces from the museum's collection, bith French and American, and is made up to look exactly as it would have it the 1700's. The Heyward-Washinton House was built by Daniel Heyward for his son, Thomas Heyward, who was amongst those who signed the Declaration of Independence. George Washington stayed here during a week-long visit to Charleston, creating the hou'se name. The house is also furnished and decorated to appear as it would have done in the 1700's. |  |
Plantations
| Along the Ashley River are a series of magnificent plantations that can be visited, as well as north along the highway towards Georgetown, where the grounds of Boone Hall Plantation are the main attraction. A majestic oak avenue leads to the estate that has been the model for several films including Gone With the Wind and North and South. The original slave quarters and cotton gin house can be visited along with the classic mansion, all furnished and decorated to look as they would originally have looked when the house was built. Closest to Charleston along the Ashley River is Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation house in America, dating from 1742. The Georgian mansion is a National Historic Landmark and the only plantation house on the river to have survived the Civil War intact. Middleton Place was largely destroyed during the Civil War, but the south wing has been restored and houses an impressive collection of silver, historic documents, furniture and paintings. The plantation's gardens are the oldest landscaped gardens in the country, designed in 1741, and the estate also boasts stableyards filled with heritage breeds of cows, goats, pigs and chickens.The ornamental lakes are surrounded by the gardens are home to roaming peacocks and other farm animals. Magnolia Plantation was founded in 1676 by the Drayton family. The plantation opened its doors to the public in 1870, to view the gardens, and so became the oldest public gardens in the country. The stunning decorative gardens can be easily viewed by tram tours that cover the grounds. |  |
Fort Sumter
| Situated on a small man-made island in the bay guarding the entrance to Charleston Harbour, Fort Sumter National Monument is one of the most important historic military sites in the country. It was built using 70,000 tons of granite and rock, simply dumped intot he water to form a man-made island. The rock and granite had to be brought in from as far afield as new York City. The first shots of the American Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in 1861. With the secession of South Carolina, the Confederates demanded the surrender of the fort, and after 34 hours of continuous bombardment the Union forces had no choice but to relinquish their hold. The Union troops became the first prisoners of the Civil War. The Confederates occupied Fort Sumter, which became a symbol of Southern resistance until it was retaken by Union forces in 1865 after nearly four years of almost continual attack, which reduced most of the fort to rubble. Park rangers conduct free tours around the restored structure, which includes a museum with historical displays. |  |
South Carolina Aquarium
| The South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston's most visited attraction, features thousands of amazing aquatic animals from river otters and sharks to loggerhead turtles in over 60 exhibits, which represent the rich biodiversity of South Carolina from the mountains to the sea. The Aquarium also presents fabulous views of Charleston harbour like no other found in the historic downtown area. Daily interactive exhibits and programs are offered for visitors of all ages. Every visit to the Aquarium reveals something new - glimpses of new animals in exhibits, budding plants, baby animals and more. Not only that, the institution provides a variety of opportunities to learn about conservation, animal life, endangered species and environmental issues. The aquarium has recently added a new exhibition called the Madagascar Journey, featuring examples of the island's widely varied habitats, as well as four ring-tailed lemurs from the island to look at and interact with. This exhibition has been put on in conjunction with the Lemur Circle, an organization intent on preserving both lemurs and their habitats in Madagascar. |  |
Angel Oak
| Angel Oak (or Scarlet's Tree) is thought to be the oldest existing entity, either living or man-made, east of the Rocky Mountains. This extraordinary live oak is over 1,400 years old and, while not very tall, it does boast a vast canopy, in excess of 17,000 square feet (1,600 m2). Angel Oak has survived countless hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, including severe damage from Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The tree's forest home may have been one of the islands' many lumber sources for ship-building back in the 18th century, and nowadays the park and the tree are owned by the city of Charleston. The tree's name doesn't refer to any angelic connections. Rather, the Angel estate, a family estate, used to own the land, and the tree was named after them. The Angel tree features in various local legends and has been written into several stories and books. Keeping the tree safe from encroaching urban development has lately become an issue, although so far it is still located deep enough in the forest to be safe. |  |
Caw Caw Interpretive Center and Charleston County Park
| Set in the Caw Caw Swamp, the Caw Caw Interpretive Center is home to vast natural, cultural and historical displays. Dating back to the 18th century, this formerly slave-worked rice paddy exhibits earthen dikes, rice trunks and canals. Many species of plants and animals can be seen in the wildlife sanctuary, from beech-holly forests to bald eagles and otters. Self-guided canoeing is possible (fee is $10 per canoe), as is cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and more. The park features 6 miles of trials, including elevated boardwalks through the wetlands where visitors can sometimes see alligators moving through the swamps. Swallow-tailed Kites and Bald eagles, both rare bird species, can also be found here. |  |
The Hunley
| The Hunley submarine was the world's first successful submarine, built on President Abraham Lincoln's orders during the Civil War. The submarine first arrived in Charleston by train in 1863, and proceeded to sink the warship Housatoni in 1894. However, the Hunley itself also sank and its location and the cause of its sinking remained a mystery for many years. In 1995, the submarine was finally discovered with the help of modern navigation tools, and was brought to land both for preservation and in order to piece together the history of the submarine's final hours. The submarine is now on display in a conservation tank at Charleston's Old Naval Base, where it is still studied carefully. Here, visitors can see facial reconstructions of the Hunley crew, artefacts excavated from the submarine and the legendary gold coin that supposedly saved the captain's life. There is also a life size model of the vessel from The Hunley movie and a National Geographic documentary for visitors to enjoy. |  |
Provost Dugeon and Old Exchange Building
| The British used Provost Dungeon to hold prisoners during the American Revolution, and in 1774 the Old Exchange Building hosted the delegate elections for the First Continental Congress. Before this momentous occasion, the Exchange Building was built in 1771 and 1772 in order to assist with the heavy import and export trade taking place in Charleston. The Exchange was built in the Palladian style of architecture with a facade constructed from imported Portland stone. This site was firmly constructed and has (in part) withstood war, earthquakes and even hurricanes. Part of the Half-Moon Bastion was excavated here and is the only visible section of the old Charles Town fort. Today, the Old Exchange Building and the Provost Dungeon are run by the South Carolina Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and all three floors of the main building are open to the public as a museum focused on the city's history and its role in the United States' history. Visitors are also taken through the dungeon and told about the many pirates that were kept there during the 1800's. The Old Exchange Building regularly hosts symposiums on topics relating to Charleston's history, and the building is also available to rent after hours as a function venue. |  |