by Jim Morekis
In 2015, the world’s attention was focused on Charleston as it coped with the tragic murder of nine worshippers at the historically black Emanuel AME church downtown. The city’s remarkable response showed grace and compassion under enormous pressure, bringing new meaning to its nickname, “The Holy City.”
PLANNING YOUR TIME
Even if you’re just going to confine yourself to the peninsula, I can’t imagine spending less than two nights. You’ll want half a day for shopping on King Street and a full day for seeing various attractions and museums. Keep in mind that one of Charleston’s key sights, Fort Sumter, will take almost half a day to see once you factor in ticketing and boarding time for the ferry out to the fort and back; plan accordingly.
If you have a car, there are several great places to visit off the peninsula, especially the three plantations along the Ashley—Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place—and Charles Towne Landing. They are all no more than 30 minutes from downtown, and because they’re roughly adjacent, you can visit all of them in a single day if you get an early start. The sites and excellent down-home restaurants on Johns Island are about 45 minutes out of downtown.
While a good time is never far away in Charleston, keep in mind that this is the South, and Sundays can get pretty slow. While the finely honed tourist infrastructure here means that there will always be something to do, the selection of open shops and restaurants dwindles on Sundays, though most other attractions keep working hours.
But for those of us who love the old city, there’s nothing like a Sunday morning in Charleston—church bells ringing, families on their way to worship, and a beguiling slowness in the air, perhaps spiced with the anticipation of that particular Charleston specialty, a hearty and delicious Sunday brunch.
The real issue for most visitors boils down to two questions: How much do you want to spend on accommodations, and in which part of town do you want to stay? Lodging is not cheap in Charleston, but because the price differential is not that much between staying on the peninsula and staying on the outskirts, I recommend the peninsula. You’ll pay more, but not that much more, with the bonus of probably being able to walk to most places you want to see—which, after all, is the best way to enjoy the city.
ORIENTATION
Charleston occupies a peninsula bordered by the Ashley River to the west and the Cooper River to the east, which “come together to form the Atlantic Ocean,” according to the haughty phrase once taught to generations of Charleston schoolchildren. Although the lower tip of the peninsula actually points closer to southeast, that direction is regarded locally as due south, and anything toward the top of the peninsula is considered due north.
The peninsula is ringed by islands, many of which have become heavily populated suburbs. Clockwise from the top of the peninsula, they are: Daniel Island, Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Morris Island, Folly Island, and James Island. The resort island of Kiawah and the much less-developed Edisto Island are farther south down the coast.
North Charleston is not only a separate municipality; it’s also a different state of mind. A sprawling combination of malls, light industry, and low-income housing, it also boasts some of the more cutting-edge urban redesign activity in the area.
While Charlestonians would scoff, the truth is that Charleston proper has a surprising amount in common with Manhattan. Both are on long spits of land situated roughly north-south. Both were settled originally at the peninsula’s lower end behind walled fortifications—Charleston’s walls came down in 1718, while Manhattan still has its Wall Street as a reminder. Both cityscapes rely on age-old north-south streets that run nearly the whole length—Charleston’s King and Meeting Streets, with only a block between them, and Manhattan’s Broadway and Fifth Avenue. And like Manhattan, Charleston also has its own “Museum Mile” just off a major green space, in Charleston’s case up near Marion Square—though certainly its offerings are not as expansive as those a short walk from New York’s Central Park.
Unfortunately, also like Manhattan, parking is at a premium in downtown Charleston. Luckily the city has many reasonably priced parking garages, which I recommend that you use. But cars should only be used when necessary. Charleston is best enjoyed on foot, both because of its small size and the cozy, meandering nature of its old streets, designed not for cars and tour buses but for boots, horseshoes, and carriage wheels.
Charleston is made up of many small neighborhoods, many of them quite old. The boundaries are confusing, so your best bet is to simply look at the street signs (signage in general is excellent in Charleston). If you’re in a historic neighborhood, such as the French Quarter or Ansonborough, a smaller sign above the street name will indicate that.
Other key terms you’ll hear are “the Crosstown,” the portion of U.S. 17 that goes across the peninsula; “Savannah Highway,” the portion of U.S. 17 that traverses “West Ashley,” which is the suburb across the Ashley River; “East Cooper,” the area across the Cooper River that includes Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, and Daniel and Sullivan’s Islands; and “the Neck,” up where the peninsula narrows. These are the terms that locals use, and hence what you’ll see in this guide.
Sights
Though most key sights in Charleston do indeed have some tie to the city’s rich history, house museums are only a subset of the attractions here. Charleston’s sights are excellently integrated into its built environment, and often the enjoyment of nearby gardens or a lapping river is part of the fun.
SOUTH OF BROAD
As one of the oldest streets in Charleston, the east-west thoroughfare of Broad Street is not only a physical landmark, it’s a mental one as well. The first area of the Charleston peninsula to be settled, the area south of Broad Street—often shortened to the mischievous acronym “SOB” by local wags—features older homes, meandering streets (many of them built on “made land” filling in former wharves), and a distinctly genteel, laid-back feel.
As you’d expect, it also features more affluent residents, sometimes irreverently referred to as “SOB Snobs.” This heavily residential area has no nightlife to speak of and gets almost eerily quiet after hours, but rest assured that plenty of people live here.
While I highly recommend just wandering among these narrow streets and marveling at the lovingly restored old homes, keep in mind that almost everything down here is in private hands. Don’t wander into a garden or take photos inside a window unless you’re invited to do so (and given Charleston’s legendary hospitality, that can happen).
S The Battery
For many, the Battery (E. Battery St. and Murray Blvd., 843/724-7321, daily 24 hours, free) is the single most iconic Charleston spot, drenched in history and boasting dramatic views in all directions. A look to the south gives you the sweeping expanse of the Cooper River, with views of Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, Sullivan’s Island, and, off to the north, the old carrier Yorktown moored at Mount Pleasant. A landward look gives you a view of the adjoining, peaceful White Point Gardens, the sumptuous mansions lining South and East Battery, and a beguiling peek behind them into some of the oldest neighborhoods in Charleston.
But if you had been one of the first European visitors to this tip of the peninsula about 400 years ago, you’d have seen how it got its first name, Oyster Point: This entire area was once home to an enormous outcropping of oysters. Their shells glistened bright white in the harsh Southern sun as a ship approached from sea, hence its subsequent name, White Point. Although the oysters are long gone and much of the area you’re walking on is actually reclaimed marsh, the Battery and White Point Gardens are still a balm for the soul.
Once the bustling (and sometimes seedy) heart of Charleston’s maritime activity, the Battery was where “the gentleman pirate” Stede Bonnet and 21 of his men were hanged in 1718. As you might imagine, the area got its name for hosting cannons during the War of 1812, with the current distinctive seawall structure built in the 1850s.
Contrary to popular
belief, no guns fired from here on Fort Sumter, as they would have been out of range. However, many thankfully inoperable cannons, mortars, and piles of shot still reside here, much to the delight of kids of all ages. This is where Charlestonians gathered in a giddy, party-like atmosphere to watch the shelling of Fort Sumter in 1861, blissfully ignorant of the horrors to come. A short time later the North would return the favor, as the Battery and all of Charleston up to Broad Street would bear the brunt of shelling during the long siege of the city (the rest was out of reach of Union guns).
But now, the Battery is a place to relax, not fight. The relaxation starts with the fact that there’s usually plenty of free parking all along Battery Street. A promenade all around the periphery is a great place to stroll or jog. Add the calming, almost constant sea breeze and the meditative influence of the wide, blue Cooper River and you’ll see why this land’s end—once so martial in nature—is now a favorite place for after-church family gatherings, travelers, love-struck couples, and weddings (about 200 a year at the gazebo in White Point Gardens).
Still, military history is never far away in Charleston, and one of the chief landmarks at the Battery is the USS Hobson Memorial, which remembers the sacrifice of the men of that vessel when it sank after a collision with the carrier USS Wasp in 1952.
Look for the three-story private residence where East Battery curves northward. You won’t be taking any tours of it, but you should be aware that it’s the DeSaussure House (1 E. Battery St.), best known in Charleston history for hosting rowdy, celebratory crowds on the roof and the piazzas to watch the 34-hour shelling of Fort Sumter in 1861.
Edmondston-Alston House
The most noteworthy single attraction on the Battery is the 1825 Edmondston-Alston House (21 E. Battery St., 843/722-7171, www.edmondstonalstonhouse.com, Tues.-Sat. 10am-4:30pm, Sun.-Mon. 1:30pm-4:30pm, $12 adults, $8 students), the only Battery home open to the public for tours. This is one of the most unique and well-preserved historic homes in the United States, thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Alston family, who acquired the house from shipping merchant Charles Edmondston for $15,500 after the Panic of 1837 and still lives on the 3rd floor (tours only visit the first two stories).
White Point Gardens
Edmondston-Alston House interior
Over 90 percent of the home’s furnishings are original items from the Alston era, a percentage that’s almost unheard of in the world of house museums. (Currently the house is owned and administered by the Middleton Place Foundation, best known for its stewardship of Middleton Place along the Ashley River.) You can still see the original paper bag used to store the house’s deeds and mortgages. There’s also a copy of South Carolina’s Ordinance of Secession and some interesting memorabilia from the golden days of Race Week, that time in February when all of Charleston society came out to bet on horses, carouse, and show off their finery. The Edmondston-Alston House has withstood storms, fires, earthquakes, and Yankee shelling, due in no small part to its sturdy construction; its masonry walls are two bricks thick, and it features both interior and exterior shutters. Originally built in the Federal style, second owner Charles Alston added several Greek Revival elements, notably the parapet, balcony, and piazza, from which General P. G. T. Beauregard watched the attack on Fort Sumter.
S Rainbow Row
At 79-107 East Bay Street, between Tradd and Elliot Streets, is one of the most photographed sights in the United States: colorful Rainbow Row. The reason for its name becomes obvious when you see the array of pastel-colored mansions, all facing the Cooper River. The bright, historically accurate colors—nine of them, to be exact—are one of the many vestiges you’ll see around town of Charleston’s Caribbean heritage, a legacy of the English settlers from the colony of Barbados who were among the city’s first citizens.
Rainbow Row
The homes are unusually old for this fire-, hurricane-, and earthquake-ravaged city, with most dating from 1730 to 1750. As you admire Rainbow Row from across East Battery, keep in mind you’re actually walking on what used to be water. These houses were originally right on the Cooper River, their lower stories serving as storefronts on the wharf. The street was created later on top of landfill, or “made land” as it’s called locally. Besides its grace and beauty, Rainbow Row is of vital importance to American historic preservation. These were the first Charleston homes to be renovated and brought back from early-20th-century seediness. The restoration projects on Rainbow Row directly inspired the creation of the Preservation Society of Charleston, the first such group in the United States.
Continue walking up the High Battery past Rainbow Row and find Water Street. This aptly named little avenue was in fact a creek in the early days, acting as the southern border of the original walled city. The large brick building on the seaward side housing the Historic Charleston Foundation sits on the site of the old Granville bastion, a key defensive point in the wall.
Nathaniel Russell House
Considered one of Charleston’s grandest homes despite being built by an outsider from Rhode Island, the Nathaniel Russell House (51 Meeting St., 843/724-8481, www.historiccharleston.org, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 2pm-5pm, last tour begins 4:30pm, $12 adults, $5 children) is now a National Historic Landmark and one of the country’s best examples of neoclassicism. Built in 1808 for the then-princely sum of $80,000 by Nathaniel Russell, a.k.a. “King of the Yankees,” the home is furnished as accurately as possible to represent not only the lifestyle of the Russell family but also the 18 African American servants who shared the premises. The house was eventually bought by the Allston family, who amid the poverty of Civil War and Reconstruction decided in 1870 to sell it to the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy for use as a school for young Catholic women.
Restorationists have identified 22 layers of paint within the home, which barely survived a tornado in 1811, got away with only minimal damage in the 1886 earthquake, and was damaged extensively by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 (and has since been repaired). As with fine antebellum homes throughout coastal South Carolina and Georgia, the use of faux finishes is prevalent throughout, mimicking surfaces such as marble, wood, and lapis lazuli. Visitors are often most impressed by the Nathaniel Russell House’s magnificent “flying” spiral staircase, a work of such sublime carpentry and engineering that it needs no external support, twisting upward of its own volition.
When you visit, keep in mind that you’re in the epicenter of not only Charleston’s historic preservation movement but perhaps the nation’s as well. In 1955, the Nathaniel Russell House was the first major project of the Historic Charleston Foundation, which raised $65,000 to purchase it. Two years later, admission fees from the house would support Historic Charleston’s groundbreaking revolving fund for preservation, the prototype for many such successful programs. For an extra $6, you can gain admission to the Aiken-Rhett House farther uptown, also administered by the Historic Charleston Foundation.
Know Your Charleston Houses
Charleston’s homes boast not only a long pedigree but an interesting and unique one as well. Here are the basics of local architecture:
Single House: A legacy of the Barbadians who were among the first settlers here, the Charleston single house is named for the fact that it’s a single room wide. The phrase refers to layout, not style, which can range from Georgian to Federal to Greek Revival, or a combination. Furnished with full-length piazzas, or long verandas, on the south side to take advantage of southerly breezes, the single house is perhaps the nation’s first sustainable house design. The house is lengthwise on the lot, with the entrance on the side of the house. This means the “backyard” is actually the side yard. They’re everywhere in Charleston, but Church Street has great examples, including 90, 92, and 94 Church Street, and the oldest single house in town, the 1730 Robert Brewton House (71 Church St.).
Double House: This layout is two rooms wide with a central hallway and a porched facade facing the street. Double houses often had separate carriage houses.
The Aiken-Rhett and Heyward-Washington Houses are good examples.
Charleston Green: This uniquely Charlestonian color—extremely dark green that looks pitch-black in low light—has its roots in the aftermath of the Civil War. The federal government distributed surplus black paint to contribute to the reconstruction of the ravaged peninsula, but Charlestonians were too proud (and tasteful) to use as-is. So they added a tiny bit of yellow to each gallon, producing Charleston green.
Earthquake Bolt: Structural damage after the 1886 earthquake was so extensive that many buildings were retrofitted with one or more long iron rods running wall to wall to keep the house stable. The rod was capped at both ends by a “gib plate,” often disguised with a decorative element such as a lion’s head, an S or X shape, or some other design. Earthquake bolts can be seen all over town, but notable examples are at 235 Meeting Street, 198 East Bay Street, 407 King Street, and 51 East Battery (a rare star design); 190 East Bay Street is unusual for having both an X and an S plate on the same building.
Joggling Board: This long (10-15 feet) flexible plank of cypress, palm, or pine with a handle at each end served various recreational purposes for early Charlestonians. As babies, they might be bounced to sleep. As small children, they might use it as a trampoline. Later it was a method of courtship, whereby a couple would start out at opposite ends and bounce until they met in the middle.
Carolopolis Award: For over 50 years, the Preservation Society of Charleston has handed out these little black badges, to be mounted near the doorway of the winning home, to local homeowners who have renovated historic properties downtown. On the award you’ll see “Carolopolis,” the Latinized name of the city; “Condita a.d. 1670,” the Latin word for “founding” with the date of Charleston’s inception; and another date referring to when the award was given.