Enjoying Charleston on a Tight Budget – Page 2

November 6, 2012

St. Philips Episcopal Church – a Landmark

Listed in National Register of Historic Places.

Picture Source – http://1.usa.gov/nELP61

146 Church Street,

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-722-7734

www.stphilipschurchsc.org/

St. Philips ‘houses the oldest congregation in South Carolina and was the first Anglican church established south of Virginia.

This church is the third building to house the congregation, which was formed by Charles Town colonists.

The first church, built in 1681, was a small wooden building located at the present site of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

In the early 18th century, the congregation built a second brick church at the site of the current church.

It’s construction was partially funded by duties on rum and slaves.

After suffering from one fire that was extinguished by a black slave, who was given his freedom for this act, the church completely burned in 1835.

The current St. Philip’s was constructed from 1835 to 1838 by architect Joseph Hyde, while the steeple, designed by E.B. White, was added a decade later.’

Source – National Park Service

For more information on the church extending into the street and prominent people buried in the graveyard visit the National Park Service Website above.

November 5, 2012

St. Marys Roman Catholic Church – a Landmark

Listed in National Register of Historic Places.

Source – National Park Service

The First Catholic Church in the Carolinas and Georgia
Established August 24, 1789

Located at 89 Hasell Street, Charleston, S.C.
Adjacent to Charleston Place Hotel
Telephone Number 843-722-7696
Fax Line 843-577-5036
stmarys1789@bellsouth.net

www.catholic-doc.org/saintmarys/

Sunday Mass
9:30 am

Daily Mass
Monday – Friday 7:00am

Rosary:
Tuesdays 5:30 am

‘The congregation of St. Mary’s was the first Roman Catholic Church in the Carolinas and Georgia.

A sufficient number of Catholic immigrants had arrived in Charleston by the late 18th century, that Reverend Ryan, an Irish priest, was sent to the city in 1788.

The Hasell Street site was purchased for the church by trustees one year later, and the congregation has worshiped here ever since.

The congregation first worshiped in a dilapidated Methodist meeting house that was at the site.

In 1801 the congregation constructed their own brick church. The Charleston fire of 1838 that burned much of the surrounding Ansonborough neighborhood also destroyed most of the Catholic church.

The present building was completed in 1839 in the Classical Revival style.

Its monumental form, elements and ornamental details are adapted from classic Roman architecture with typical Classical details such as its arched openings and Tuscan portico with a parapet.’

Source – National Park Service

To learn more about tombstones in the churchyard, the pews, paintings, etc. visit the National Park Service Website orWikipedia.

‘It is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:30am to 3:30pm. Call 843-722-7696 for further information.’

November 1, 2012

Old Slave MarOld Slave Mart Museum – Charleston, S.C.

Picture and Text Below Source – http://1.usa.gov/bYIbTy

6 Chalmers Street,

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-958-6467

‘The Old Slave Mart, located on one of Charleston’s few remaining cobblestone streets, is the only known extant building used as a slave auction gallery in South Carolina. Once part of a complex of buildings, the Slave Mart building is the only structure to remain.

When it was first constructed in 1859, the open ended building was referred to as a shed, and used the walls of the German Fire Hall to its west to support the roof timbers.

Slave auctions were held inside.

The interior was one large room with a 20-foot ceiling, while the front facade was more impressive with its high arch, octagonal pillars and a large iron gate.

During the antebellum period, Charleston served as a center of commercial activity for the South’s plantation economy, which depended heavily upon slaves as a source of labor. Customarily in Charleston, slaves were sold on the north side of theExchange Building (then the Custom House)…

Around 1878, the Slave Mart was renovated into a two-story tenement dwelling. In 1938, the property was purchased by Miriam B. Wilson, who turned the site into a museum of African American history, arts and crafts.’

It is owned by the City of Charleston.

Hours – Monday-Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Call 843-958-6467 for information.

Admission fees are charged.

1.usa.gov/bYIbTy

November 1, 2012

Old City Market Hall and Sheds – Historic Charleston, S.C.

Picture Source – National Park Service

Corner of Market St. and Meeting St.,

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-853-8000

www.thecharlestoncitymarket.com

‘Steeped in history and charm, the Charleston City Market is a popular destination for all who visit the Holy City.

Open 365 days per year, the Market is an exciting place for tourists and local Charleston residents alike.

Market Hall stands facing Meeting Street as the main entrance to four blocks of open-air buildings.

Strolling through the Market you will encounter a wide assortment of vendors selling high quality products including paintings, pottery, Charleston’s famous sweetgrass baskets, casual and fine dining & more!’

PDF Map of Historic Charleston Market

Visitor Info

Source – http://bit.ly/9Eunay

Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and sometimes later on weekend evenings.

Vendor contact information and more can be found on the City of Charleston Website
Source of text below – National Park Service

History of the Market –

‘The Market Hall and Sheds, a National Historic Landmark, are the only surviving market buildings in Charleston, and one of a small number of market complexes still extant in the United States.

The Market is also considered to be one of Charlestons best examples of Greek Revival style architecture, exemplified by its massive portico supported by Tuscan columns.

The buildings were constructed in 1840 to 41 and were designed by prominent local architect Edward Brickell White.

The Market was the commercial hub of Charleston for many years and is an important part of the city’s commercial heritage.’

Source – National Park Service

For more about the history of the market and the current occupancy visit the National Park Service Website ORWikipedia.

October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

Cabbage Row or Catfish Row, Charleston, S.C.

Click here for picture of Cabbage Row on PalmettoCarriage.com

Picture source – http://www.palmettocarriage.com/cabbage-row.html

Cabbage Row got its name from African Americans putting produce on the window seals to sell.

Today there a couple of shops in this location.

Author DuBose Heyward wrote a novel, Porgy.

The main character lived on Cabbage Row.

George Gershwin and Heyward later wrote the musical, Porgy and Bess, and changed the name of the area to Catfish Row.

PalmettoCarriage.com tells us more…

“Cabbage Row is a structure from the Revolutionary War era. It is a well preserved example of this type of home, consisting of a pair of houses connected by a central arcade. The structure is three stories tall with commercial ground floors that have stood the test of time. The area is now lined with private homes and specialty shops but that wasn’t always the case.” Read more…

October 23, 2012October 23, 2012

Audobon Swamp Garden – Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, S.C.

Source of Photo and Text – Magnolia Plantation and Garden

3550 Ashley River Road,

Charleston,

SC – 29414
843-556-1012bit.ly/v1YQ2D

‘TIMES:

Daily, 365 days a year. From opening until 5:30 PM.

However, once you have purchased your ticket, you can stay and enjoy the Audubon Garden until dusk. Allow 1 hour for the self-guided walk.

COST: ($8 per person, children under 6 free)

The Audubon Swamp Garden is a unique world where trees grow from the water, islands float, and everywhere wild creatures go about their secret lives. It boasts a diversity of living things almost unequaled anywhere else in America. Thousands of plant and animal species coexist amongst the cypress and tupelo gum trees, surrounded by blackwater. Each year, hundreds of egrets, herons, and other waterfowl nest within feet of the walking path. You can explore this wild and otherwise inaccessible landscape on boardwalks, bridges, and dikes.’

October 10, 2012October 10, 2012

The Cooper River Bridge(s)

1939 Postcard of the Cooper River Bridge featured on American-Journal.org

Picture Source – http://american-journal.org/2012/01/cooper-river-bridge-charleston-s-c-c-1939/

The Cooper River Bridge is technically three bridges with separate names that served to transport Charlestonians over the years.

Its history is revealed on CooperRiverBridge.org . The three bridges are:

The Grace Memorial Bridge – “The 2.71-mile bridge, later to be named the Grace Memorial Bridge, was built in just 17 months, at a total cost of approximately $6 million. It was opened with a three-day celebration on Aug. 8, 1929.”
The Pearman Bridge – “In ceremonies on April 29, 1966, a new $15 million bridge over the Cooper River, parallel to the Grace Bridge, was opened to traffic, and dedicated in honor of Chief Highway Commissioner Silas N. Pearman.”
The Ravenel Bridge (also known as the New Cooper River Bridge) – “Now the diamond towers of the Ravenel Bridge have been named the John P. Grace Tower and the Silas N. Pearman Tower to remember the men and the bridges that served Charleston.”

Be sure to visit the Mount Pleasant Pier at 71 Harry Hallman Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant. It is a lovely park and gives you a great view of the bridges. Here is what the Charleston Park and Recreation Commission says about it:

“Part of the Memorial Waterfront Park complex, the 1250-foot long Mount Pleasant Pier stretches out into Charleston Harbor under the foot of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. The pier’s foundation was created from pared-down pilings from the old Grace Memorial Bridge, and one end of the pier now features an 8,100-square-foot covered pavilion for hosting dances and other events. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of the bridge and harbor from the pier’s bench swings and shade structures.”

Learn more about the bridges on the Wikipedia ‘Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge’ article.

There are many, many beautiful images of the bridges on Google images –

October 10, 2012October 10, 2012

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge – Charleston, S.C.

Picture source – Wikipedia.org

www.cooperriverbridge.org/

Charleston, SC – 29401

“The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, also known as the New Cooper River Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper Riverin South Carolina, connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant. The eight lane bridge satisfied the capacity of U.S. Route 17 when it opened in 2005 to replace two obsolete cantilever truss bridges. The bridge has a main span of 1,546 feet (471 m), the second longest among cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere.” Wikipedia.orgFor more information on the history of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the Pearman Bridge, and the Grace Memorial Bridge – known as the Cooper River bridges – see ‘The Bridge(s) of Charleston’.
Related:

– The Mount Pleasant Pier

October 10, 2012

The Charleston Museum – Americas First Museum

www.charlestonmuseum.org

360 Meeting Street,

Charleston,

SC – 29403

843-722-2996

Email – info@charlestonmuseum.org

‘America’s First Museum, founded in 1773.

Its mission is to preserve and interpret the cultural and natural history of Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry.

We invite you to explore this rich, varied history at the Museum and its two National Historic Landmark houses.

All are located downtown, in America’s Most Historic City.

Inspired in part by the creation of the British Museum (1759), the Museum was established in 1773 by the Charleston Library Society and is commonly regarded as America’s first museum. Its early history was characterized by association with distinguished South Carolinians and scientific figures including Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Reverend John Bachman and John J. Audubon. Many of the original collections were destroyed by fire in 1778 and operations were suspended during the American Revolution; however, collecting resumed in the 1790s.’

‘First opened to the public in 1824, the Museum developed prominent collections declared in 1852 by Harvard scientist Louis Aggasiz to be among the finest in America.

Operations were temporarily suspended due to the Civil War, but began again shortly after the conflict.

Progressively acquired from the late 18th century to the present, the Museum’s collections now present the oldest-acquired and the most comprehensive assemblage of South Carolina materials in the nation.

Modern collecting emphases include natural science, ornithology, historical material culture and both documentary and photographic resources.’

Hours of Operation

Museum – Monday-Saturday 9-5, Sunday 1-5

Historic Houses – Monday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday 1-5

Admission

Museum – $10/adults, $5/children 4-12, children 3 and under free

Historic Houses – $10 adults, $5/children 4-12, children 3 and under free

Group rates and discounted multi-site tickets available

Information and Prices subject to change