A local's eye view
The Old Marine Hospital on Franklin Street was designed by the famed architect Robert Mills. Now a National Historic Landmark, it not only served as a hospital, but later became an important orphanage for African-American children in 1891. It now serves as offices for the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston.
This incredible driveway and garden can be found on Montagu Street in the Harleston Village neighborhood of Charleston. Beautiful.
A beautiful sunset across the Ashley River as seen from Brittlebank Park. A little further up the river is Charles Towne Landing, home to the first English settlement in the Carolinas — founded 350 years ago. Charles Towne Landing is now a wonderful state park, and well worth the visit.
The Historic Rice Mill on Lockwood Boulevard is now used as offices and event space (they squeezed in this reception right before the COVID-19 social distancing rules went into place). Built in the 1860’s, the West Point Rice Mill was one of three rice mills built to handle the rice production in the area. The most successful rice crop was an aptly named “Carolina Gold.”
This beautiful gate/house combo is on Gibbes Street. The current owners used to let roosters roam the property. They honored those birds by placing statues of roosters on top of the gate posts.
This incredible window box can be found on the building that in 1732 was Poinsett’s Tavern on Elliot Street. Poinsett’s descendant, Joel, was the ambassador to Mexico and is credited with introducing the poinsettia to the United States.
Unity Alley is one of the cool cut-throughs you can find in Charleston. McCrady’s Tavern was built there in the late 1700’s and in 1791 a banquet given in honor of the first president of the United States, George Washington, was held in its famous Long Room.
Built in 1802, the Old City Jail is one of the most haunted buildings in Charleston. In addition to serving as a jail and current ghost home, it has served other purposes. For example, during the Civil War the famed 54th Massachusetts Regiment (which was the focus of the movie Glory, starring Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, and Morgan Freeman) was quartered there.
This beautiful piazza can be found on Meeting Street. On the right side is a very Lowcountry item… a joggling board.
This cool bowed piazza house on Chapel Street was built c. 1840. It was the first house in Charleston to use linoleum as a floor covering, which they imported from England.