Historic Charleston Religious and Community Buildings – Page 2

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.

September 16, 2012

The Citadel – The Military College of South Carolina – Charleston, S.C.

Picture source – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Citadel,_The_Military_College_of_South_Carolina

171 Moultrie Street,

Charleston,

SC – 29409

843-225-3294

www.citadel.edu

‘The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensivecollege located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States, and has 14academic departments divided into five schools offering 20 majors & 25 minors.’

‘The Citadel is best known for its undergraduate Corps of Cadets military program which combines academics, physical challenges and military discipline.’

Core values – Honor, Duty, Respect.

Source – Wikipedia

Read the History of The Citadel on Wikipedia

The Citadel and cadets has been depicted in books, movies and music videos including:

– Dear John

– For the Boys

– Pat Conroys novel ‘The Lords of Discipline’

– Tom Schroders novel ‘The Citadel’

– Dave Matthews Bands video ‘American Baby’

and others.

facebook page

September 16, 2012

The Confederate Museum – Charleston, S.C.

Photo source – http://www.csa-scla.org/articles/ConfederateMuseum.htm

188 Meeting Street

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-723-1541

The Confederate Museum is located above the open-air market a National Historic Landmark

Hours of Operation: Tuesday – Saturday 11AM – 3:30PM, Closed on Sundays and Mondays/ Call to verify hours and days.

Admission: Adults & Teens $5.00—-6 – 12 years old $3.00, Under 6 Free

Built in 1841.

Contains the Daughters of the Confederacy Museum.

During the Civil War the hall was a recruiting station.

Features Greek Revival-style architecture.

The museum has a library, exhibits and artifacts of the confederacy.

Donations Always Welcomed ~
Mail to: Confederate Museum
P.O. Box 20997
Charleston, SC 29413

Find out more…http://www.csa-scla.org/articles/ConfederateMuseum.htm

September 15, 2012September 15, 2012

Battery Cheves – a Landmark, James Island

Battery Cheves, named after after Capt. Langdon Cheves. Cheves was a confederate engineer. He was killed in 1863 at Morris Island.

The battery was listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1863.

The battery is located in a residential neighborhood, Fort Johnson Estates.

This is a great artist’s rendering of the Battery Cheves from the S.C. Battleground Trust and The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia.

The source for the following images –

http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710129/index.htm

“Battery Cheves was built in 1863 and named for Capt. Langdon Cheves, Confederate engineer killed at Morris Island in 1863.

This battery was designed to protect the area between Fort Johnson and Battery Haskell from amphibious attack coming from Morris Island.

Cheves mounted two pieces of heavy artillery at the time of capture. Battery Cheves is located on the southeastern shore of James Island in a suburban residential area.

A simple open battery with four gun emplacements, Battery Cheves is about 280 feel long with a parapet 12.5 feet high and a powder magazine about 15 feet high.

The total position is approximately 240 feet deep. It is currently completely obscured by a dense growth of vegetation. Listed in the National Register August 11, 1982.”

Source – http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710129/index.htm

To learn more about Battery Cheves visit the following:

August 13, 2012August 13, 2012

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

http://boonehallplantation.com/

1235 Long Point Rd.

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464

(8 miles from downtown Charleston, S.C.)
Phone (843) 884-4371

Mont Royal the main house at Boone Hall

Picture Source – Wikipedia

‘The Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens is an antebellum plantation located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The plantation includes a large Colonial Revival plantation house (1933-35) that replaces the lost original house on the site, a number of slave cabins (which were occupied bysharecroppers well into the 20th century), several flower gardens, and the historic “Avenue of Oaks”: a nearly one mile drive up to the house with live oaks on either side, originally planted in 1743. Boone Hall plantation sits on Wampacheeoone Creek in Christ Church Parish about 10 miles (16 km) from historic downtown Charleston.’

Source – Wikipedia

Slave Cabins at Boone Hall Plantation

Picture Source – Wikipedia

Avenue of Oaks at Boone Plantation

Picture Source – Wikipedia

August 13, 2012August 13, 2012

Circular Congregation Church – Charleston, S.C.

Picture source – http://www.circularchurch.org

150 Meeting Street

Charleston, SC

29401

843-577-6400

www.circularchurch.org/

‘…one of the oldest continuously worshipping congregations in the South. Among highlights of our history are:- Charles Towne’s original settlers founded this protestant, or dissenting, church about 1681.-The graveyard is the city’s oldest burial grounds with monuments dating from 1695.- The first meeting house on this site gave Meeting Street its name.- The third structure here, a vast, circular hall built in 1804, burned in 1861.- Bricks from “Old Circular” were used in building the present sanctuary, completed in 1892.- Historically Independent: the congregation is now related to the United Church of Christ and thePresbyterian Church (U.S.A.).- Circular Church remains a vibrant, diverse community. Visitors are welcome both to explore the grounds and to explore the faith in worship, ministry, and life in community.’Source – http://bit.ly/skpsh8

August 13, 2012

The Old Citadel or the South Carolina State Arsenal – Charleston, S.C. (Embassy Suites)

Picture and text source – http://1.usa.gov/uSa0UW

337 Meeting Street

Charleston,

SC – 29403

843-723-6900

1.usa.gov/uSa0UW

Now a hotel, the building is open to the public.’

‘The S.C. State Arsenal, more commonly known as the Old Citadel, is associated with several aspects of Charlestons history.

The impetus for the Arsenals construction in the early 1830s was the 1822 slave revolt led by Denmark Vesey.

In 1842 the S.C. Military Academy, a liberal arts military college, was established by the state legislature.

The new Academy took over the arsenal the following year, and the school soon became know as The Citadel in reference to the fortress-like appearance of the building.

Many Citadel alumni fought in the Civil War.

Cadets remained at the school but were periodically ordered by the governor to support the Confederacy, and helped drill recruits, manufacture ammunition, protect arms depots, and guard Union prisoners.

Citadel cadets were responsible for firing the first shots of the Civil War, January 9, 1861, at the Union relief vessel approaching Fort Sumter.

From 1865 to 1881, during Reconstruction in Charleston, Federal troops occupied the Citadel and the school was closed.

Classes resumed at the Citadel in 1882, and continued here until the school was relocated to a campus on the banks of the Ashley River in 1922.’

For more information on the architecure, etc. visit the National Park Service Website.

Today the Old Citadel is home to Embassy Suites Hotel.

August 13, 2012

St. Michaels Church – Charleston S.C.

Picture Source – Wikipedia

71 Broad Street,

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-723-0603

‘St. Michael’s Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church and the oldest surviving religious structure in Charleston, South Carolina.

It is located at Broad and Meeting streets on one of the Four Corners of the Law, and represents ecclesiastical law.

It was built in the 1750s by order of the South Carolina Assembly.

It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is aNational Historic Landmark.

It is still an active church in the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.

‘Source – Wikipedia

Virtual Tour – may not work on mobile phones

August 13, 2012

First Scots Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S.C.

Source – National Park Service

53 Meeting Street

Charleston,

SC – 29401

843-722-8882

‘First Scots Presbyterian Church, the fifth oldest church in Charleston, was constructed in 1814. Its design was perhaps inspired by St. Mary’s Cathedral in Baltimore, Maryland designed by Benjamin Latrobe. Latrobe was the first professionally trained American architect, best known for designing the United States Capitol. The massive brick Presbyterian Church has walls that are three feet thick and covered with stucco. Twin towers rise above a columned portico. Reflecting the heritage of the congregation, the seal of the Church of Scotland is displayed in the stained glass window over the main entrance, and the decorative wrought iron grilles contain thistles, the symbol of Scotland. First Scots replaced the congregation’s first church, a frame building previously located in the southeast corner of the graveyard. The graveyard contains more than 50 stones that date earlier than 1800.’

Source – National Park Service

To learn more about the history of the building, the meetings of the church body and natural disaster tragedies visit the National Park Service Website.

‘The church is open to the public 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday- Friday.

Call 843-722-8882 for further information.’