Charleston, S.C.

Continuing the Stateside portion of our travels, following a visit to Washington, D.C., the next stop was Charleston, South Carolina. Situated at the junctions of the Cooper, Wando, and Ashley rivers, Charleston is the oldest and largest city in South Carolina. It was founded in 1670 as “Charles Town”, so named in honor of King Charles II of England. Initially located on the West Bank of the Ashley river ( at Albemarle Point), by 1680 it was relocated to its present site. Incorporated as a city at the end of the American Revolutionary War (1783), the city adopted its present spelling. During the peak years of the slave trade, historians estimated that nearly half of all Africans brought to the United States, passed through Charleston. As part of the first state to secede from the Union in 1861, Charleston initiated the beginning of the Civil War by seizing the city’s arsenal, Castle Pinckney (a small government fortification), and firing on Fort Sumpter in the harbor. Now a popular tourist destination, Charleston is known not only for its history, but also for its architecture, dining experiences, and the friendliness of its inhabitants.

Originally founded nearly three hundred- fifty years ago, Charleston is now a popular tourist destination.

From the Pineapple fountain in Waterfront Park...

...to the colorful homes along “Rainbow Row”...

...and the Southern Charm of plantation style homes, Charleston is a beautiful city.

While the houses along the waterfront are beautiful, they do tend to flood easily during storms (apparently that is why this is called the “Low Country”).

Charleston Harbor is still quite active, with the old...

...and the new.

Make sure not to pass up the food in the numerous fine restaurants.