Charlston is in South Carolina. It is the oldest city in the state, where the historical center is preserved, built by houses of the XVIII and XIX centuries.
Understand
| Charlston | |
| English Charleston | |
| 8, Elliott Street, a typical street landscape south of the center | |
| Useful information | |
| Population | 127,999 people |
| Phone code | +1 843 |
| Time zone | North American Eastern time |
Charlston is a typical city in the south of the United States; perhaps even the most typical: Like all the southern cities a century and a half ago. In the center is a labyrinth of streets, and almost every house is known when it was built and who it belonged to—and it usually belonged to planters or shipowners, and in the yard of almost every house there were premises where the slaves lived. Slavery long ago abolished, black formally equalized in rights with white, black and white culture left a worthy mark in history, but Charlston tells us what history was and how very different things were combined in the same place — on the one hand, lively trade and industrial development and outstanding cultural achievements, on the other is the revolt of slaves and the total defeat of the black in rights. And the monuments to the soldiers of the Civil War—from the southerners, of course—still stand in the center of Charlston, showing us that this history page is not closed here. But it's enough for a traveler to look around, because it's easier than anywhere else in Charlston to imagine how a rich American city lived two hundred years ago.
History
Founded in 1670, Charlston is South Carolina's oldest city, and the age of Charlston is a worthy one in the United States. The city's original name was Charles Town, the name of the English King Charles II who authorized the construction, and was later simplified to Charlston. The city was the capital of the English province of Carolina, and it was from here that the colonization of the lands now forming the south of the US began. Since Charles Town was at sea, he was regularly attacked by French, Spanish, and pirate elements, with Indian attacks from the mainland added. Thus, in 1718 pirates under the command of Edward Tich aka Black Beard have besieged the city for a week, robbed ships in the port and seized crews and passengers, and then exchanged them for ransom and lifted the siege. However, by the mid-18th century, everything had returned to normal, and Charlestown became the richest city and most important port of the southern states. Its economy was mainly based on the cultivation of cotton and rice by black slaves on the plantations of South Carolina (a separate colony since 1712). In 1736 the first building of the theater in English colonies of North America was built here, in 1773 - the first building of the public museum. In 1774, South Carolina declared its independence from Britain, for which Charles Town was attacked three times by the British army and navy. For the third time, in April 1780, the British, under the command of Henry Clinton, besieged the city and, after a month of siege, took it. They rebuilt the city's fortifications, but in 1782, after a final defeat in North America, withdrew their forces. In 1783 the city was officially renamed to Charlston. In 1788, the state capital of South Carolina was moved from Charlston to Columbiya, a formal reason for this was the fire in a building built as a state capitol (later a court), but the real reason was that during two years of British occupation, the residents of South Carolina lost trust in the administration that sat in Charlston.
Since independence, the US plantations have grown larger, and the black population of Charlston has grown accordingly. In 1822, a resident of Denmark Wessy was arrested and charged with preparing a slave rebellion. After the trial, Vessi and several dozen of his followers were hanged, and the rights of the black, both free and slave, were significantly restricted. During the US Civil War, South Carolina sided with the southerners, and there were quite important events, as South Carolina was the first among the southern states to declare its withdrawal from the US on December 24, 1861, and it was in the port of Charlston that the entire Civil War began fighting when the firearm was fired in the port and the ship "Star of the West" belonging to the Severans. On February 17, 1864, the first attack of a submarine (a submarine of the South H. L. Hunley" sank the northern boat "USS Housatonic"). Nevertheless, the end of the war is well known, and in 1865 the Northern troops occupied Charlston. Since then, the slow decline of the city began. Post-war reconstruction was slow, liberated slaves lived in the city, but suffered the same discrimination, and no one was going to integrate them into white society. In 1866 there was a strong earthquake. Charlston was in his epicenter, and was badly destroyed, with 2,000 houses damaged. However, Charlston was able to recover, and in the 1920s it became, and still remains, one of the centers of tourism in the USA. In the 1970’s, the center was rebuilt, and is now a remarkable example of the rich, preserved and restored American city of the nineteenth century.
Because of the mixed nature of the population, Charlston had a huge impact on music development in the United States, especially in the first half of the 20th century. Two of the most famous musical works related to the city are the dances of Charleston, which originated here and popularized in Broadway in the early 1920s, and the opera "Porghi and Bess", which takes place in Charlston. The libretto's author, Duboz Hayward, who had previously written a novel with the name, was a resident of the city, and the music author, George Gershwin, came here to work on the project on purpose.
Orientation
The center of Charleston is located on a peninsula formed by the estuaries of the Cooper (east) and Ashley (west) rivers. The traveler from all this peninsula will need only the southern part, approximately limited by the streets Ann and Radcliffe. From Ann to the southern end of the peninsula walk for forty minutes; to Market Street, the center itself - about fifteen. To the south of Broad Street there is no civilization — no shops, no restaurants, only residential neighborhoods.
How to get
By plane
By train
By bus
By car
Almost from anywhere (e.g. from Washington to the north or Miami from the south you will go on I-95) you will need the I-26 road to the east, leading to the center of Charlston (the departure of Meeting Street leads, respectively, to the Meeting Street, from where five minutes to the information center). There are several parking lots in the center at a price of about $15 per day. For example, a large covered parking is located directly opposite the entrance to the information center. In the south of the peninsula all parking is only for residents. The southernmost options are located somewhere in the Market Street area, from where you will have to walk. Check the parking lot in advance.
On the ship
Cruise ships enter the port. In Charleston itself, you can call a water taxi that travels between four marinas: one near the aquarium, another on the seafront in the center.
Transport
The center has bus routes, which can be obtained, for example, in the information center, but in standard situations the traveler does not need them.
Attractions
Charlston is remarkable not so much for its separate buildings and monuments (although there are very good ones), but for its well preserved and urban environment historical center, most of which is located in the French Quarter, limited from the Market Street north, from the west of the Meeting Street, and from the south and east of the embankment. In the rectangular grid of streets of the French Quarter in the north there is still some tourist infrastructure, and in the south - only residential houses, mainly owned by private owners. The best way to get to know this part is by walking around the streets. In principle, it is not very important which streets you choose, but if you have enough time, study Church (entirely), Elliott and Chalmers. One of Charlston's distinctive features is rows, analog of a multi-access house, where several facades face the street close to each other. The most famous and most spectacular of them, but by no means the only - Rainbow row.
South Broad Street
Every day, the schedule of excursions see the site$16. It is not for nothing that most of the neighboring houses are called "house," and this one is called "mansion." It stands on a huge plot, and the garden even goes out into the street with its end. The house was built in 1876 for the businessman George Walton Williams, who wanted to demonstrate how Charlston recovered from the Civil War. Architect William Russell. After Williams' death in 1903, the mansion was bought by US President Calhoun's grandson, whose name is home and wears. It is not bad outside, and the balconies are well visible from the street, but much more interesting inside, where the mansion can be viewed with a tour. Mon-Sun 10:00 - 17:00. $12; in combination with Aitken-Retta's $18 house. This brick house was built in 1808 for shipowner Nathaniel Russell and is considered one of the best models of American neoclassicism. The most characteristic element is an erker on all three floors, but in general, it is necessary to look at everything - both the huge entrance door, the characteristic form of the window, and the gate. It's even more interesting inside. Near the house is a huge garden. The house belongs to Historic Charleston Foundation, you can get inside with a tour. Mon-Sb 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 12:00 - 15:00. $12; $18 if combined with the Charleston Museum or Joseph Manigolt's house; $25 if you combine all three museums.. The house was built in 1772 for Thomas Gaevard Jr., who was one of the deputies to the US Declaration of Independence four years later. George Washington's name in the house name came from the fact that Washington stayed here during his visit to Charlston in 1791. For this purpose, the city formally rented a house from Geyward for a week. The latter sold it in 1794, and since 1929 it has functioned as a museum. The house itself is brick, three-story, with large windows, white frames and shutters in the bottom row of windows. The interior was partially preserved, the 18th century atmosphere was partially restored, the entrance only with excursion. Nearby is a kitchen building from the 1740s, a rare thing for America. It and the garden can be reached with the same excursion. In neighboring houses (83 and 85), the so-called Cabbage Row (Cabbage Row), which appears to be undistinguishable, the action of Gershwin's opera "Porgi and Bess" (where they are derived as Catfish Row) takes place. In fact, Catfish Suite includes Summertime, Gershwin's most famousBroad Street and North
Mon-Sb 10:00 - 16:00, Sun 13:00 - 16:00. $6. The gunpowder storage building, built in 1713, is not particularly architecturally remarkable, but it is the oldest preserved public building of both Carolin. Along with the Pink House, this is one of two buildings during the time when Charlston was still surrounded by the city wall. Now opened as a museum since 1902, it is the first in Charlston project of museum of historical building. Near it stands the house of Nicholas Trott, not particularly exquisite architectural, but built in 1709 and thus probably the oldest brick house of Charlston.Near the Ann Street
Mon-Sb 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 12:00 - 15:00. $12; $18 if combined with the Charleston Museum or the Gayward-Washington House; $25 if you combine all three museums. A three-story brick house with a two-story portico is relatively far from the center, in the former suburb. The house was built in 1803 and is a good example of the same Adam style. The garden house looks more interesting than the street, the entrance to the garden is free. The house is now owned by the Preservation Society of Charleston and operates as a museum, and can be reached with a Mon-Sun 10:00 - 17:00. $12; in combination with Nataniel Russell's $18 house. Built in 1820, a two-story stone house with a huge wooden balcony belonged to William Eiken, owner of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, and then to his son, also William Eiken, Governor of South Carolina. It is now owned by the Historic Charleston Foundation, and can be reached by tour.What to do
W 10:00 - 17:00, Wed 10:00 - 20:00, Thu-Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 13:00 - 17:00$15. Not a very large permanent meeting, mostly devoted to local authors. If you enter the museum, don't miss the hall dedicated to the movement of the so-called Charleston Renaissance of the mid-20th century, as well as the work of black artists. There may be interesting temporary exhibitions. An hour of inspection should be enough. Mon-Sb 9:00 - 17:00, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. $12; $18 if combined with Joseph Manigolt's house or the Gayward-Washington house; $25 if you combine all three museums.. One of the oldest museums in the United States (founded in 1773, opened for public visit in 1823, although it is located in a new building). A large collection of local history, in which everything is little by little: The history of Charleston and South Carolina, a casual collection of applied art, including local silver, ceramics and furniture, as well as, for example, Dutch fabrics, and also paleontological and mineralogical collection. Mon-Sb 9:00 - 17:00. The building was built in 1859, before the civil war itself (after which slavery was abolished). Presumably, it is the only preserved building of the slave market in South Carolina. The museum tells not only about the building, but also about African-American culture in general. W-Sun 11:00 - 16:00. The Charleston Museum is one of the Carpiles Manuscripts Museums in the United States, and the exhibits move from the museum to the museum. The meeting is organized in the form of temporary exhibitions showing manuscripts on a particular subject. The building in neoclassical style with a huge portico (former Methodist Church) was built in 1856. Mon-Sun 9:00 - 16:00adult $30, children $23. Large aquarium. Of the not-so-traditional animals, there are alligators, sea turtles (loggerhead), and oats; Of course, there are many traditional fish species, including sharks.Purchases
Mon-Sun 9:30 - 18:00, Thu-Sat 18:30 - 20:30. Large complex on Market Street with a huge number of souvenir shops on Charleston and Carolina themes. The building itself (coming to the Meeting façade) is one of the most prominent in the city, it was built in the 1840s by the project of local architect Edward White in the style of neoclassicism (this kind of which in the USA is called Greek Revival).Food
Dyoshevo
Day only. A small stylish coffee shop. Besides coffee, other cakes.average cost
Expensive
Night life
Where to stay
As in any big city, in the center of Charlston, there are dozens of hotels, all of which are expensive. It is unlikely that you will find something cheaper than $100 per room per night, and most likely the parking will not be included in the price. If you are by car and want cheaper, choose suburbs - for $50 there should be enough hotels/motels within 20 minutes drive from the center.
Dyoshevo
average cost
Expensive
Link
Free wi-fi is available in any cafe or restaurant, as well as in the information center.
Precautions
As in any big American city, do not go, especially after dark, to areas you know nothing about and respect the signs of where private property begins.
Area
Mon-Sb 9:30 - 15:30, Sun 11:00 - 15:30, excursions once an hour. $22. The plantation of the XVIII century is considered a masterpiece of Palladian architecture. It was built in the early 1750s by a landowner, John Dreyton, who grew indigo and rice. Although two buildings were lost in the late nineteenth century, the plantation remained largely unchanged. The most interesting thing is the main house: brick, three-story, with huge porch with columns.