Charleston, a lovely historic town in South Carolina
Charleston
is located on a narrow peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers
where they flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Originally known as 'Charles
Town' after King Charles II of England, the town was established in 1670
and settled a decade later. Downtown Charleston serves as the central
business district of Greater Charleston and is home to many historic and
cultural sites and buildings of architectural interest.
The scenic community of Charlestown, strategically located halfway down
the South Carolina coast, became the center of the Carolina colony, the
eighth state to join the Union, and the cultural centre of the pre-Civil
War South. Until 1800, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North
America, behind Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and Quebec City.
Originally a walled city of the British colony, the town played a key
role in the events leading up to the Civil War, and subsequently
experienced a resurgence during the late nineteenth century, eventually
becoming one of the most complete and intact historic districts in the
country. It is the location of Fort Moultrie, which withstood the British
in the American Revolution, and Fort Sumpter, the reputed site of the
`first shot' of the American Civil War. The city is still home to many
naval academies and training camps.
Made prosperous by shipping and many local plantations, the city is home
to Boone Hall and Magnolia plantations and Middleton Place.
The majority of Charleston's public and community buildings reflect a
time when it was one of the wealthiest and most important port cities of
the colonies. Architectural remnants of this time include the Old
Exchange and Customs House, the Market Hall and Sheds, St Michael's
Episcopal Church, the Post Office, the County Court House and City Hall.
`Old Charleston' - with its homes with wrought-iron gates, courtyard
gardens and oak and palm-lined streets - is a fine example of southern
colonial charm. It is like stepping back in time as you sniff the clean
salty air and listen to the horse-drawn carriages clop past the grand
homes of this beautiful historic city, one of the most elegant places in
America.
