Andrew Delaplaine - Charleston: The Delaplaine 2020 Long Weekend Guide

CHARLESTON

The Delaplaine

2020

Long Weekend

Guide

Andrew Delaplaine

NO BUSINESS HAS PAID A SINGLE PENNY OR GIVEN ANYTHING TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS BOOK.

A list of the authors other travel guides, as well as his political thrillers and titles for children, can be found at the end of this book.

Senior Editors - Renee & Sophie Delaplaine

Senior Writer - James Cubby

Gramercy Park Press

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Charleston

High on the Hog

Sensible Alternatives

On a Budget

Chapter 1

WHY CHARLESTON?

T he historic part of downtown is on a peninsula formed by two rivers, the Ashley and the Cooper, flowing into the Atlantic. Its got much the same geographical layout as Manhattan does, where you have the East and the Hudson Rivers merging at the tip of Manhattan.

But thats the only thing that will remind you of New York. Charleston was captured in the Civil War without much property damage, so the historic part of town has buildings that are hundreds of years old. Most of the damage they suffered has come from hurricanes, not cannon balls. The current downtown skyline, with practically no tall buildings due to the city's height restriction ordinance, is dominated by church steeples and the stunning Arthur Ravenel cable-stay bridge completed in 2005 over the Cooper River. The city is a major port on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.

Charles Towne, as it was first called, was established in 1670 by Anthony Ashley Cooper on the west bank of the Ashley River, Charles Towne Landing, a few miles northwest of the present downtown. By 1680, the settlement had grown and moved to its current location on the peninsula.

Around 1690, the English colonists erected a fortification wall around the small settlement to aid in its defense. The wall sheltered the area, in the present French Quarter, from Cumberland Street south to Water Street, from Meeting Street east to East Bay Street. The wall was destroyed around 1720. Cobblestone lanes and one building remain from this Colonial English Walled Town: the Powder Magazine , where the town's supply of gunpowder was stored. Remnants of the Colonial wall were found beneath the Old Exchange Building .

Charleston was the first city in the U.S. to pass a historical preservation ordinance. Thus, much of the beautiful architecture, from early Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate to Victorian, remains for future generations to see and enjoy.

Charleston is also known as the Holy City due to the numerous church steeples poking out of the low-rise skyline. Another reason: it was one of the few places in the original 13 colonies to provide religious tolerance to the French Huguenots as well as to Jews.

Chapter 2

GETTING ABOUT

B Y FOOT

Once youre in the historic district, you wont need a car. If the walking is too much for you, hop board the DASH shuttles to move between sights on your list. Youll see the signs, but if you want more information, go to www.ridecarta.com

C HARLESTON BLACK CAB COMPANY

843-216-2627

www.charlestonblackcabcompany.com

They have roomy London-style taxis from the airport to downtown. If youre going to hire a car and driver while here, get one of these. Much more comfortable than regular cars. Use them to go to the plantations outside town.

G RAY TOURS

See listing under What To See & Do.

T OURS

There are many walking tours, which give you the opportunity to see more than just driving past in a bus or carriage. There is a walking tour for virtually every interest. You will find Pub Tours, Civil War tours, culinary tours, ghost tours, Gulla tours, architecture tours, art tours, and even pirate tours. Some of the walking tour companies offer tours with guides in period costume. Charleston Pirate Tours even has a costumed guide whose parrot, a blue and gold macaw, accompanies the tour.

B ROAD STREET

In the historic district, there is a major east-west street, Broad Street, which divides two areas in historic downtown, aptly named North of Broad and South of Broad . Those South of Broad were nicknamed SOBs, and those Slightly North of Broad were SNOBs. The French Quarter , founded by the French Huguenots, is just south of the Market Area along the waterfront. The area near the southern tip of the peninsula, where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet, is known as The Battery .