Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

Houses/Buildings/Gates

A beautiful Charleston porch in the early evening light.
While the architecture is relatively plain, compared to St. Philip's steeple in the background, the Powder Magazine is hard to beat in terms of significance. It is the oldest remaining public building from the Province of Carolina, which covered way more than just South Carolina.
The cornerstone for the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist  on Broad Street was laid in 1890, but the construction of the church was not completed until 2010 -- when the steeple was finally added.
The beauty of this colonial era house and its wonderful flower boxes can be found on King Street.
The Miles Brewton House on King Street is one of the most significant Georgian houses in the United States. During the American Revolution, the house served as a headquarters for the British. 
The blue shutters on a pre-Colonial era house on Tradd Street are some of my favorite in Charleston. 
The Charleston City Market has a long and rich history. In a recent renovation a section was fully enclosed and air-conditioned. It's a beautiful spot and full of interesting things to buy and eat.
The striking steeple of St. Philip's Episcopal Church... which is located, fittingly enough, on Church Street.
While this house looks like it could be set on a plantation in the country, it's just another downtown Charleston house... at the corner of Broad and Savage Streets.
Within the amazing array of historical buildings in Charleston, there are some wonderful and interesting doorways. This one can be found on Church Street.
This unusual building is the carriage house for the famed Miles Brewton House on King Street. It's just one of the the main house's beautiful dependency buildings still existing.
Ropemakers Lane is a tiny little dead-end street just below Broad Street in downtown Charleston. While the driveway of this beautiful house comes out on the lane, the "front" is on Meeting Street.
Charleston is well known for it's beautiful wrought iron gates. This one can be found at 67 South Battery.
These magnificent gates and columns, referred to as "The Pineapple Gates," are so eye-catching that the entire house -- formally known as the Simmons-Edwards House -- is referred to as the "Pineapple Gates House." Located on Legare Street, the pineapples are actually carved Italian pinecones.
This spectacular Italianate mansion on lower King Street hosted an event when Barack Obama first ran for president. After he won, he referenced it in his election night acceptance speech ("From the porches of Charleston..."). It also sold, at the time, for the highest price ever for a house on Charleston peninsula.
Market Hall, at the head of the City Market, is one of the most visited spots in Charleston. Housing the Daughters of the Confederacy Museum, Market Hall serves as the gateway to the wide array of goods for sale in the market sheds behind it. Contrary to the belief of some, this was not the Slave Market (where slaves were sold), but rather the "Slave's Market" (note the apostrophe) where slaves were permitted to sell goods for their own benefit.
This beautiful Charleston house fronts on Murray Boulevard, but the side is pretty spectacular as well.
One of the most historically significant buildings in Charleston, the Old Exchange Building is fascinating from top to bottom.
The wonderful pink house along the High Battery in Charleston, recently reverted to being a private home after years of being a B&B.
At the corner of Anson and Hasell Streets, you will find St. Johannes Lutheran Church. Just another Charleston intersection...
A classic Charleston scene... a beautiful old home with wonderful window boxes, ironwork, shutters and stucco.
A well dressed historic house in Charleston reflects the holiday spirit. Ho ho ho, ya'll.
The Mills House Hotel is dressed up for the holidays. A beautiful scene during the day or night.
Built in 1859, the Old Slave Mart is the only known building remaining in South Carolina that was used for slave auctions. A dark period in United States history.
The early morning sun hitting the steeple of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Broad Street in Charleston.
The moment before the sun rises along the High Battery in Charleston, SC.
This unusual masonry wall is on the grounds of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Broad Street in Charleston.
The sexiness, classiness and mysteriousness of Charleston, SC permeates the nighttime air.
This gorgeous house in Charleston, SC sits at the corner of Murray Boulevard and Limehouse Street, with a commanding view of the Ashley River.
This beautiful fountain, located in the courtyard of the Mills House hotel in Charleston, SC, is surrounded by much other beauty... including Hibernian Hall.
Charleston, SC has beautiful houses of all sizes and colors. This little pink house, on Beaufain Street, is certainly an eye-catcher.
The building tops of some of the really old commercial buildings in Charleston, SC are fascinating. This one had a notion.
This fairly modern looking scene is actually behind one of the grand houses on the front Battery in Charleston. A wonderful combination of traditional and modern.
The Military College of South Carolina in the late afternoon sun.
The Belvedere is a grand house on Rutledge Avenue in Charleston, SC that has been converted into a B&B. Beautiful.
A colonial era house on Tradd Street in Charleston, SC is looking pretty in pink.
The Mills House hotel in Charleston, SC is beautiful at any time of the day, but especially at night. It is also has some of the most impressive cast ironwork in the city.
This row of colonial era houses in Charleston, SC is just beautiful. Adding to the scene is the steeple of St. Philip's Church peeking up.
Lodge Alley in Charleston, SC is one of the cool cobblestone alleys that can be found in the downtown historic area.