Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

Street/Park Scenes

While many presidents have visited Charleston, there is only one #1 -- and that, of course, is George Washington. This statue of him stands in Washington Square Park, next to City Hall.
The Porter's Lodge at the College of Charleston is one of the most visible buildings on campus. It's a prime access point to the Cistern and bears an inscription in Greek that provides some pretty good advice, and not just for students -- "Know Thyself." 
This classic Charleston scene captures St. Philip's steeple, along with a gas street lamp. The St. Philip's congregation is the oldest in South Carolina -- established in 1680.
Dependency buildings in Charleston are usually found behind the main building or house and can be hard to spot from the street or other public space. This one, found behind 68 Broad Street, can be seen over the wall that surrounds Washington Square Park (which honors George Washington) -- next to City Hall.
A view across Broad Street towards Meeting Street. The intersection there is also called the Four Corners of Law. Why? The buildings on each corner of that intersection represent Federal (US Post Office and Federal Courthouse), State (Charleston County Courthouse — in which state law is enforced), City (Charleston City Hall) and ecclesiastical law (St. Michael’s Church).  Some bonus trivia...did you know this phrase was first coined by the founder of Ripley's Believe it or Not?
This beautiful house is on Church Street, just in from Water Street. Before it became Water Street it was Vanderhorst Creek, which was filled with actual water. The cement post on the right of the photo was a mooring used to tie up a boat on the creek.
General William Moultrie faces the dawn in White Point Garden. Moultrie is a hero in Charleston for defending the fort that now bears his name on Sullivan's Island during the Revolutionary War. One of the British leading the attack on the fort was Sir Peter Parker (who, of course, later became better known as Spider-Man).
This wonderful rainbow, framing the fantastic houses on South Battery, seems to end right in White Point Garden. Lots has been found buried there over the years. Perhaps there is a pot of gold! 
Stoll's Alley is one of the wonderful cut-throughs in downtown Charleston. Once called Pilot's Alley, it runs between Church and East Bay Streets. At its narrowest, it's about five feet wide!
The American Theater on upper King Street in the late day sun.  Once it just showed movies, in 2003 it was in The Notebook, which starred Ryan Gosling.
Rainbow Row is rarely seen in the middle of a snowstorm.
Happy New Year from Glimpses of Charleston!
These interesting holiday decorations (and don't miss the stone trough filled with green apples) are on Church Street in Charleston.
Happy Chanukah from Glimpses of Charleston!
Magical Charleston. This fountain of light can be found in the Chapel Street Fountain Park, a little pocket park on Chapel Street.
This beautiful combination of textures and colors sings Happy Thanksgiving! This wonderful scene can be found on Tradd Street. Glimpses hopes you all have a festive, food-filled and fantastic day. 
One of the charms of Charleston are the little alleys that intersect the historic peninsula. Here Stoll's Alley is a quick and beautiful cut-through from Church Street to East Bay.
One of the great ways to see Charleston, and learn about the city and its history, is to take one of the carriage tours.
The statue honoring General William Moultrie, a hero of the Revolutionary War, has a spectacular view of the rising sun each morning in Charleston from its perch in White Point Garden.
Perhaps the most beloved corner store in Charleston is Burbage's Grocery. Located on Broad Street, it has provided staples, prepared foods and other goodies for Charlestonians since 1948.
Almost a trite photo, this is such a beautiful sight that it is almost impossible to pass by without taking the shot. St. Philip's Church, aptly located on Church Street, is so photogenic.
Since Charleston is going to totally dark this afternoon with the totality of the solar eclipse, here's a reminder of what the sun looks like in Charleston.
Named by US News & World Reports as one of the ten top shipping streets in the United States, King Street is a great place to shop, stroll and people-watch.
So Charleston. A lovely view of St. Philip's steeple, complete with gaslight. 
Some beautiful antebellum Charleston masonry on King Street, accessorized by some wonderful window boxes and planters.
A beautiful live oak allee, or alley, at Charlestowne Landing -- with the Legare-Waring House at the end. Spectacular.
Chalmers Street is one of the eight cobblestone streets in Charleston. The combination of gorgeous old buildings, crepe myrtle trees and the cobblestones make it one of the most photographed in the city.
St. Michael's steeple is one of the most prominent and picturesque in Charleston. At this angle, it is framed by some beautiful Italian Cypresses  found in St. Michael's Alley.
A view along East Battery from the High Battery. Classic Charleston.
Early evening along Broad Street in Charleston. Lots of history and beautiful architecture.
The striking Sword Gate on Legare Street is one of the most famous gates in Charleston. This gate actually has a twin, which was originally crafted to hang in a Charleston police station. The twin can now be found at the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.
A beautiful view of the striking steeple of Citadel Square Baptist Church on Meeting Street, as seen from behind the lovely fountain in Marion Square.
The lushness of Charleston is captured on Tradd Street, just off Church Street.
State Street... the essence of Charleston -- window boxes, flowers, a bicycle and wonderful colonial era buildings.
The path from King Street to the Unitarian Church graveyard is one of the coolest "cut-throughs" in Charleston. When you pass through these gates, it almost instantly takes you to another, peaceful world.
The Spoleto Festival USA is underway! Three of the most joyful weeks in Charleston each year.
True works of art out of the Gullah culture (some are on permanent display at the Smithsonian), Sweetgrass baskets are painstakingly handmade and have been part of the Lowcountry for over 300 years.
Two cement pigs stand guard in front of this beautiful house on Murray Boulevard (the Low Battery) in Charleston. Why pigs? There is a connection to the Piggly Wiggly supermarket chain.
While the view would have changed over the years, you would have been able to look out this window in the historic Charleston County Courthouse way back in 1753, when the building was the provincial capitol for the colony of South Carolina. It is also one of the famous Four Corners of Law, at the intersection of Broad and Meeting Streets.
The glorious steeple of St. Michael's Church, located at the corner of Broad and Meeting Streets, is one of the signature buildings of the Charleston skyline and is the oldest church building in Charleston. It also, famously, makes up one of Charleston's Four Corners of Law.