May 3rd, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues!

Today, we opened the door to Charleston history and Charleston welcomed us! The Charleston Area is a veritable living museum populated with expertly preserved antebellum mansions; cobblestone streets and secret gardens.

We took a guided city tour via bus and learned a great deal about the city and its unique features. In 1669, under the leadership of Captain Joseph West, three vessels; the Carolina, the Port Royal and the Albemarle set their sights on the new land, America. A severe storm separated the three ships, wrecked the Port Royal and forced the Carolina to land in Bermuda. In the spring of 1670, 150 English colonists, indentured servants and slaves sailed into the Charleston harbor.

The first view of what would become the new colony of Carolina came in March 1670 at Bull's Island. The travelers landed on a promising location they christened Albemarle Point in April 1670. The Proprietors soon flattered their king, Charles II, by insisting the settlement be named Charles Town in his honor. Enemies of the colony included the French, the Spanish, hostile Indian tribes and pirates. Disease was also rampant due to poor sanitation and an inhospitable location.

With its many wharves along East Bay Street, Charles Town became a busy seaport. Ships carrying raw materials, deer skins, rice, indigo, and eventually cotton were exported to England and commerce was born. Ships returned heavy with staples and luxuries of Europe which lent a cosmopolitan air to the growing community. Even in its infancy, Charleston had the reputation of being a "Little London" in the semi-tropic wilds of the New World. By 1740, Charles Town was becoming the most critical port in North America for exporting, and an economic boom surged across the colony. Colonists found out early that the New World had its share of troubles and danger as the coastal town endured a small pox epidemic, a fire which destroyed 1/3 of the colony including 300 houses and a great number of stores in just four hours, a plague among the cattle, and yellow fever and several major hurricanes. Disasters continued to ravage the city with fires in 1740, 1796, 1838 and 1861.

The philosophy of early Charles Town was based on religious tolerance and it was believed that with this attitude the settlement would increase in numbers and profitability. The second charter guaranteed religious freedom. The openness towards religion brought French Huguenots, Baptists, Congregationalists and Presbyterians. Early in the next century, 12 Scottish families withdrew to form the Scots Kirk, now the First Scots Presbyterian Church. A Jewish congregation formed in 1750, followed shortly by a Lutheran Church and Methodist assembly. The first Roman Catholic mass was held in Charleston in 1786. Because of its origins for religious diversity, Charleston became known as "The Holy City."

The Revolutionary War brought to a close Charleston's Golden Age. In 1776, a British fleet carrying 270 guns failed to take Colonel William Moultrie's palmetto fort on Sullivan's Island. In 1778, the British attacked again, coming by land from Savannah. The city held, but much of the surrounding countryside was torched. The British took control and Charles Town was occupied by England. By 1783, Charles Town had been reborn as Charleston.

Called the Holy City, Charleston is known for its churches ... and its beautiful cemeteries. While we wandered around the city, we took a stroll through a cemetery we passed. The beauty is amazing! While there are paths for visitors to stroll, the graves themselves have been given back to nature, with trees and shrubs growing wild. 

In the late 1700s, plantations harvested such crops as indigo (a blue dye) and rice. Prosperity from an agrarian society was mixed with great interest in cultural affairs. In 1791, President George Washington toured the States and came to Charleston where he slept in the Heyward Washington House on Church Street and entertained at the Old Exchange Building. There are only two buildings still in use that used to process rice, but there is one wall left from the largest rice processing plant. It sits as a fixture to days gone by. This one in particular is Bennett's Rice Mill and it stands in the middle of State Ports.

The Citadel is a landmark in Charleston and South Carolina that is noted for its educational reputation as well as its rich history. Founded in 1842, The Citadel has an undergraduate student body of about 2,300 students who make up the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Another 1,000 students attend The Citadel Graduate College, a civilian evening and online program that offers graduate and professional degrees as well as undergraduate programs. The Citadel is best known nationally for its Corps of Cadets, which draws students from about 45 states and a dozen countries. The men and women in the Corps live and study under a classical military system that makes leadership and character development an essential part of the educational experience.

The original site of The Citadel was on what is now Marion Square in the City of Charleston. During the Revolutionary War, a fortification known as a "Horn works" was established in the vicinity of Marion Square. In 1783, this site was transferred to the City upon its incorporation as a municipality. Six years later a small portion of this tract was transferred back to the state for use as a tobacco inspection site. The City retained the remainder of the land known as the Citadel Green which was used as a muster site for militia units. Prominent Charleston architect Frederick Wesner designed the building that was to become known as the Citadel, but it was not until 1829 that the structure was erected on the square. Wesner's design, a two story Romanesque structure, incorporated an interior courtyard with Doric columns and Roman arches. It is speculated that Wesner's design was inspired by the Jacques-Louis David painting, The Oath of the Horatii.

At the request of the State of South Carolina, troops from the federal garrison at Ft. Moultrie became the first guard of the new state arsenal on January 8, 1830. Federal troops were withdrawn on December 24, 1832, as a result of tensions between the federal government and South Carolina over federally imposed tariffs. State militia at the Charleston powder magazine were then detailed to guard the state arsenal at the Citadel. During the next ten years several smaller arsenals around the state were consolidated at the Citadel in Charleston and at the Arsenal in Columbia, and placed under the guard of two companies of State militia known as the Arsenal and Magazine Guard. Governor John P. Richardson first conceived of converting the Arsenal in Columbia and the Citadel in Charleston into military academies. This was accomplished by act of the State Legislature on December 20, 1842. 

We stopped at The Charleston City Market. In 1788, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney ceded the land to the City of Charleston for the express use as a public market, and he stipulated that the land must remain in use as a market for perpetuity. To fulfill this requirement, the low buildings—sheds—that stretch from Market Hall to the waterfront were built between 1804 and the 1830s. These sheds originally housed meat, vegetable, and fish vendors; each booth rented for $1.00 per day, or $2.00 if the booth had a slab of marble used to keep the meat or fish cold. Butchers often threw meat scraps into the street, much to the delight of local buzzards, which were nicknamed Charleston Eagles. Over the years, the sheds have survived many disasters, including fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and bombardment.

In 1841, three years after the Masonic Hall on the corner of Meeting and Market Streets was destroyed by fire, the current Market Hall was erected. Architect Edward Brickwell White was paid $300 to create the building's blueprints, which paid homage to the Temple of the Wingless Victory in Athens. The resulting handsome structure was originally used by the Market Commissioners for meetings and social functions, while the space beneath the hall housed vendors. Since the 1970s, the original sheds and surrounding neighborhood have housed many small and unique shops. Of special note are the more than 50 sweetgrass basket weavers who carry forth a special Charleston tradition. The Charleston City Market, recognized as one of the oldest in the country, is part of a permanent exhibit entitled “Life in Coastal South Carolina c. 1840” at the American History Museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.

We enjoyed lunch at Hyman’s Seafood for lunch. The Hyman family has been at the same location for over 121 years. Starting out as a Wholesale dry goods store then changing to Hyman's Seafood in 1987. 

The Hyman's commitment to guaranteed customer satisfaction is the reason that Hyman's Seafood is now a Charleston landmark. The building size is deceiving, I think they have combined 2 or 3 buildings to create this current restaurant and store. We kept walking, climbing stairs and following the carpet to get to our table! 

The inside is filled with memorabilia and the coolest old tables of every shape and size!

After lunch, we walked Meeting street to the end, where it meets the harbor and back! We passed on foot, but our tour guide called the four corners of law … a city building (city law), a state building (state law), a federal building (federal law) and a church (God’s law.)

We saw homes that had both wrought iron and cast iron fences and railings. The fundamental distinction between cast iron and wrought iron is in how they are produced. The differences can be found in the names: wrought is a past participle of work (“worked iron”), and cast describes anything formed by the casting process. Wrought Iron is iron that has been heated and then worked with tools, while cast Iron is iron that has been melted, poured into a mold, and allowed to solidify. The front fence is wrought iron and the railing in the background is cast iron. 

The shade of blue used on many southern ceilings is often called “haint blue”. This light blue-green color is especially popular in southern coastal cities like Charleston, SC because of the historically haunted nature of these cities. The blue color was meant to ward off “haints” or evil spirits who might want to harm the house or the family inside. Many people argue that painting your porch ceiling blue actually keeps insects away. While not necessarily rooted in science, there are a few possible explanations for that theory. Older blue paints were often made with lye, which is a known insect repellent, and to keep the paint looking new, a new coat had to be applied every few years, thus refreshing the insect repellent. Another theory is that the blue color mimics the color of the sky and tricks insects into not making their nest there. 

Additionally, while blue paint on a porch ceiling can’t literally extend the amount of daylight you get, it can provide that feeling. The light blue color reflects light, so your space will seem brighter even during the twilight hours. Additionally, you can use less artificial light to brighten up the space at night. This practice was really popular in the Victorian era, and you can still see the blue color used in many Victorian homes today.

Charleston's window boxes are magnificent and play a vital role in the city's appearance. One reason they're so prominent is that in the city's historic district, most houses extend nearly to the sidewalk. 

Thus, window boxes become the only gardening space people have -- at least, in front. Another reason is that Charlestonians like to put on a good show for tourists -- people like us.

Key Ingredients to a Beautiful Window Box is a tall centerpiece plant, filler plants that go on either side and add cascading plants that hang over the side.

It was a beautiful day to stroll the city!

Stay tuned, as The Adventures Continue!