Charleston, South Carolina: Remnants of the Old South

Charleston, South Carolina is a striking city that is steeped in history. The remnants of the Civil War, of course, are a mixed bag. On the one hand, the plantations are statuesque and surrounded by enormous trees strewn with Spanish moss. It’s all quite beautiful until you think about the shameful legacy of slavery that made it possible.

Many of these plantations are a short drive from downtown Charleston. A friend and I visited Middleton Place, a modest house that may or may not have been owned by ancestors of Kate Middleton. You won’t find a grand antebellum building here, but you can’t beat the grounds.

A large lake, old trees, and a host of animals, including alligators, turtles, swans, geese, and egrets, can be found walking around. (Don’t worry – the alligators are small and not particularly interested in you, although I wouldn’t try to pet one.)

There are captive animals, too, such as horses, cows, goats, chickens, water buffalo, and a guinea hog. It’s a perfect place to relax and decompress. When you’re hungry, there’s an excellent restaurant on the premises as well.

There are some historical displays at Middleton Place that show how work was done on the plantation, and there are a couple of antique cars. You will also find a very small slave cemetery that remains, but we didn’t learn a great deal about slave life during our visit.

For the true history of slavery in Charleston, we visited the Old Slave Mart Museum on Chalmers Street, which is on the actual site where slaves were sold. When the practice began to fall “out of favor,” the marketplace was taken from the streets and hidden behind closed doors.

Today, the building contains a variety of fascinating and sobering exhibits, including shackles worn by slaves and readings of some of their real life accounts. If you go to the city, I strongly suggest that you visit this museum, but it might not be appropriate for your youngest children.

Charleston also played a big part in the Revolutionary War. One of the best ways to learn about that era is at the Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon. The British held prisoners in the building during the war, and today, there are displays down in the dungeon, complete with mannequins in period dress. Prisoners who were in the jail include the “Gentleman Pirate,” Stede Bonnet, who was imprisoned before his execution in 1718. He was one among many pirates who were held there.

Later, the dungeon was used primarily for political prisoners. Isaac Hayne, a prominent American who was executed in 1781 for treason against the British Crown, spent his last night in the Provost Dungeon.

A part of the original wall that protected the city of Charleston can be found in the dungeon as well, and when George Washington visited the city in 1791, four events in his honor were held in the Old Exchange Building. The top floor is quite grand – in stark contrast to the basement prison below.

Of course, if you have the time and interest, there are many other museums in Charleston, including the South Carolina Historical Society, as well as some historical homes that you can visit. One of these is the neoclassical Nathaniel Russell House on Meeting Street.

Speaking of the historical homes, one of the main pleasures of visiting Charleston is its architecture, which is quite diverse with everything from Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival to my favorite styles – Italianate and Queen Anne.

To see the best of this architecture, stroll or take a horse-drawn carriage in the Battery area, which is where the Confederate army mounted cannons during the Civil War. In the park overlooking the water, you will see some of the cannons and cannonballs on display. The mansions in this area are impressive, so much so that when I was there, a woman was having her photo taken in her wedding dress in front of one of them.

Also downtown is St. Michael’s Episcopal Church at Meeting and Broad Streets, which, built in the 1750s, is the oldest religious structure in Charleston that remains. The church’s cemetery is the burial site of two signers of the Constitution – Charles Cotesworth Pinkney and John Rutledge.

Be sure to visit the Historic Charleston City Market at Market Hall (built in 1841), also on Meeting Street. The open-air buildings are filled with all sorts of vendors and restaurants. You can buy food and artwork all in one place. There are many interesting shops across the street, too, making for a satisfying stroll.

When you crave the sun and ocean, head out to Folly Beach, where you’ll find surfers and little seaside restaurants. If you’re renting a car during your stay, you can sleep in a hotel on the beach and drive to downtown, although you won’t find much in the true luxury category available by the beach.

If you want luxury accommodations, you’re better off staying downtown. Some of the high-end hotels are housed in historic buildings.

Even if you’re traveling with people of varying tastes, Charleston will have something for most everyone – foodies, beach-lovers, history buffs, and architecture aficionados. It’s also fairly temperate throughout the majority of the year, and while it’s easier to get around if you have a car, you can walk to most of the main sites if you’re staying downtown.