A day out exploring and photographing Charleston's historic past

Our experiences spending the day in Charleston, South Carolina.

Last Friday, my wife and I spent the day in Charleston, South Carolina. It was our first time exploring the city so I thought I’d share some of our experiences.

History

Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Named after King Charles II of England, it sits on a peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Its history dates back to the colonial days and extends through the American Revolution and Civil War periods.

Charleston was a major battleground during the American Revolution. In 1776, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island became one of the first major Patriot victories when local defenders repelled a British attack, preventing Charleston from falling early in the war.

However, in 1780, the British returned and captured Charleston in one of the largest American surrenders of the war. The city remained under British control until the war ended in 1783, when it was finally liberated.

Following the Revolution, Charleston flourished. By the early 1800s, it was one of the largest slave-trading cities in the United States, fueling the plantation economy of the South.

Despite its dark history, the city doesn’t shy away from its past.

Information about the people, plantations, and slave markets can be found in signs and museums around the city. During a time in the United States where it’s becoming popular to ignore our past failings, I appreciated how open and informative the city is to this history.

Charleston played a crucial role in the Civil War, as it was here that the first shots were fired. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter, marking the start of the war. The city remained a Confederate stronghold for most of the war but suffered heavy bombardment and destruction before Union forces captured it in 1865.

After the Civil War, Charleston, like much of the South, struggled with economic decline and racial tensions. The end of slavery brought significant social changes, but Reconstruction-era policies were met with resistance. The city experienced racial violence and segregation under Jim Crow laws, and many former enslaved people faced severe discrimination.

In the mid-20th century, Charleston began it’s transformation. The Civil Rights Movement led to desegregation, and by the 1970s, Charleston had become a major tourist destination due to its well-preserved architecture, historic sites, and unique Southern charm.

Today, Charleston is known for its cobblestone streets, historic homes, and waterfront views. It has been ranked among the top travel destinations in the world.

Places to visit

Before exploring the city, we found a central parking garage to leave the car for the day. There are many options in the city center and the prices seemed to be similar. We parked near the College of Charleston which was close to the places in the city we wanted to walk to.

The college has a beautiful campus with administrative and classroom buildings from the Antebellum period. It’s worth visiting if you have extra time.

Waterfront Park

The Waterfront Park is located toward the southeastern part of the city. This is a nice location to enjoy views of the nearby Arthur Revenel Jr. Bridge and the USS Yorktown sitting on the opposite side of the Cooper River. In the center of the park is the Pineapple Fountain that you’ll often see associated with Charleston. The park has pier that extends out into the river where you can watch the marine life and rest on one of the swinging benches.

Rainbow Row

Rainbow row is a series of 13 colorful houses set along East Bay Street. This is one of the most photographed sections of the city. After seeing pictures online, I have to say this was a little disappointing. The colors were much more muted than I had expected, still they’re worth passing by on your way to the southern part of the city.

Charleston City Market

We visited the Charleston City Market toward the end of our day. It’s one of the nation’s oldest public markets and it extends through several buildings. Inside you’ll find everything from crafts and paintings, to clothing and some food stands. It was fun to walk through and see the work of the local artists. If you’re looking for a souvenir to bring home, this is the place to go.

King Street

Stretching through the heart of the city, King Street is known for its historic architecture, boutique shopping, world-class dining, and lively nightlife.

Originally established in the 1700s, King Street was a key trade route leading in and out of Charleston. Named after King Charles II of England, the street developed as a commercial hub, with merchants, markets, and businesses thriving along its path.

By the 19th century, King Street was a bustling center for trade, home to shops, warehouses, and businesses that supplied the booming port city. It survived wars, fires, and economic shifts, adapting over time while preserving its historic character.

During the Civil War, King Street suffered damage due to shelling and blockades but remained an essential part of Charleston’s economic recovery. Through the 20th century, the street evolved into one of the premier shopping and cultural districts in the Southeast.

Edmondston Alston House

The Edmondston Alston House was built in 1825. It is one of the city’s most elegant and well-preserved antebellum mansions.

The Edmondston, and later, the Alston family both played important roles in the city. In 1838, Edmondston was forced to sell the home due to economic hardships caused by the Panic of 1837. The house was purchased by Charles Alston, a wealthy rice planter, who renovated the mansion in the Greek Revival style to reflect his family's status and wealth.

The Alston family and their descendants have owned the home ever since.

We took a short tour through the house which contains many of its original furnishings. Upstairs, you’ll see where the Alston family hosted its parties. The large, open rooms with access to the outside porch provided great views of the waterfront, and comfortable breezes on hot summer days.

Over the years, the house has survived the Civil War, a major earthquake, and hurricanes and still stands proudly.

At the end of the tour there’s a plaque on the wall showing a list of people and the auction prices. It includes teenagers, kids, and even babies. It’s a sad reminder of how little care there was for human life if you didn’t have the right color skin.

There are several other historic homes in Charleston to visit. Most of them require separate entry fees so you’ll want to plan ahead which ones you want to tour. Trying to do all of them will get expensive.

Our next time visit

We weren’t able to see everything that we wanted to. Next time we plan to visit the following places.

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor, is a coastal fort best known as the place where the first shots of the American Civil War. It marked the beginning of the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy.

We considered taking the ferry over to the fort but given we only had the day to explore Charleston, we decide to do this another time. It’s a 30-minute ferry ride to the island so you can expect the full trip to take 2 to 3 hours.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

We started our day in Mount Pleasant. Before heading to Charleston, we went over to Patriot’s Point Naval& Maritime Museum. We paid the $5 to park and walked around for about 30 minutes so we could get some pictures of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and the nearby USS Laffey destroyer. If our son was with us, we would have taken the time to explore these ships.

Old Slave Mart

We walked past the museum as we were leaving the city. The Old Slave Mart was built in 1859 as part of Ryan’s Slave Mart, a commercial center for slave auctions.

Before its construction, enslaved people were sold at public auctions in the streets or near the Exchange Building. In 1856, Charleston banned public slave sales, forcing traders to into private indoor places. The Old Slave Mart operated as a slave auction house for about 4 years until the Civil War ended the slave trade in the South.

Plantations

There are a few plantations located outside the city that were recommended to us. We were told that Magnolia Plantation and Gardens was the best of the group but each has something different to offer. They all seem to have beautiful gardens and facilities to explore but it’s important to remember how their dark history.

• Magnolia Plantation and Gardens:

• Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens

• Drayton Hall

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