Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

Street/Park Scenes

This extremely handsome, barely post-colonial house (the David Saylor House, circa 1778) can be found on Elliott Street. But watch that first step, it's a doozy.
The Unitarian Church on Archdale Street, which is the oldest Unitarian church in the South, has a graveyard that is worth exploring any time of the year. It's kept in a more wild state than most, adding to its allure and beauty.
This ivy covered archway frames some beautiful antebellum houses (circa 1800) on Elliot Street in downtown Charleston. There is a series of brick archways that line part of the street.... beautiful.
Rainbow Row is a series of 13 connected antebellum Georgian houses -- making it the longest remaining such row in the United States. It is one of Charleston's most ionic spots.
This little lighthouse, and a twin, guard the entrance to the Coast Guard Station on the Charleston peninsula. Have you walked by them?
This very Charleston view is from the back of the County Courthouse on Broad Street (one of the Four Corners of Law). The 1790-92 building was designed by James Hoban, the architect who also designed the White House in Washington, DC.  A pretty good lineage.
There is so much to see in downtown Charleston that even a peek down a driveway reveals the beauty of the City. This wonderful little driveway and house can be found on Church Street, between Broad and Tradd Streets.
Marion Square forms the heart of downtown Charleston. While it can trace its history back to housing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, it's now used as a monument-filled park. It is the home of the Charleston Farmers Market, many festivals and other events, the Charleston Christmas Tree and menorah, and is a great place to sunbathe or just sit and watch Charlestonians and visitors alike. Previously known as "Citadel Green," it was renamed to honor Francis Marion -- the "Swamp Fox" who so badly hurt the British during the American Revolution.
Charleston has quite a few "pocket parks" scattered about the city, which provide neat little spaces of beauty and spots to sit and rest. This beautiful fountain can be found in the Chapel Street Fountain Park at the intersection of Chapel and Elizabeth Streets.
Sweetgrass basket-making has a long history in Charleston, tracing its Gullah origins back hundreds of years to Africa. Originally, made to help separate the rice seed from its chaff, they are now considered to be wonderful works of art and are prized possessions.
This wonderfully colorful stretch of Queen Street, includes the Footlight Players' theater (and one of the entrances to Philadelphia Alley). The building that is now a theater dates back to about 1850, and was originally a cotton warehouse. 
In 1906, the Charleston Improvement Corporation built these beautiful houses on Church Street on what had been an industrial complex owned by the Charleston Hydraulic Press Company. Five houses with Queen Anne style gable ends and porches and piazzas were erected. One burned down and the remaining four being are allegedly haunted, but do look good.
Beautiful window boxes and the Dock Street Theater are just behind this horse on Church Street. Have you tied up there?
When travelling east on Tradd Street, this beautiful house with the distinctive blue shutters is always an eye-catcher. Built around 1713, it was recently renovated and repainted -- and they made the great decision to keep those shutters blue.
St. Philip's graveyard has some pretty significant people buried in it, including Edward Rutledge --a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Pinckney -- a signer of the US Constitution, John C. Calhoun -- a former Vice President of the United States,  and Col. William Rhett --who was called the "Scourge of the Pirates," as he was tasked with bringing Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet (the "Gentleman Pirate") to justice.
As the early morning sun lights up White Point Garden, it first hits a number of cannons -- two of which were used to defend Fort Sumter and, interestingly and a bit ironically, one that was used to bombard the fort from the USS Keokuk. What a great spot to watch the sun come up.
This western view of the Charleston skyline include the beautiful steeple of Grace Church Cathedral and the hospital district. Graces's steeple always makes me think of a "drip" sandcastle. What about you?
Charlestonians are so polite -- even the buildings. The Riviera Theater was Charleston's first motion picture theater. Open to the public on January 28, 1939, the premier featured Secrets of a Nurse. Have you seen it?
With some beautiful South Battery houses in the front, this view up King Street and across the rooftops is just classic Charleston.
This beautiful fountain, surrounded by some wonderful  Live Oak trees, is in Wragg Mall. It's a great little spot to sit and relax, especially if you are visiting the nearby Aiken-Rhett House.
A bit of a blight on the Charleston skyline, the Sergeant Jasper building is finally being demolished. While implosion would have been exciting to watch, to protect the integrity historic buildings in the area it is being dismantled piece by piece. Named after Sergeant William Jasper, who during the Revolutionary War acted to recover and re-raise the South Carolina flag during the Battle of Sullivan's Island (at the now-named Fort Moultrie), perhaps its replacement will be a more attractive way to honor the sergeant.
This cool pink house is located on Chalmers Street, one of eight active cobblestone streets in Charleston. While not so good for your car's suspension, local wisdom has it that riding down them is good to help induce labor if you are pregnant.
White Point Garden, one of the wonderful public spaces in Charleston, is full of beautiful Live Oaks. Have you played beneath their branches?
City Hall is one of the buildings that makes up Charleston's famous Four Corners of Law. Originally built (between 1800- 1804) as one of the first Banks of the United States , the building has served as city hall since 1818. It's gorgeous inside -- check it out.
Located on Church Street at the corner of Broad Street, the Hat Man is a wonderful Charleston landmark. First painted around 1892 to advertise a haberdashery, the Charleston Hat Man is made up of 16 hats of 12 different  styles. Did you count them all?
Between Church and State Streets, just behind where this photo was taken on Broad Street, is the Blind Tiger Pub. A "blind tiger" is another name for the speakeasies which sprung up to provide alcohol and gambling for their clientele during Prohibition. While not claiming to have been one, this pub does have a cool logo and a great courtyard for a drink or some food.
Happy April Fool's Day!!
A view down Broad Street towards St. Michael's Church. The bells of St. Michael's are greatly traveled. They were imported from England in 1764 and were stolen by the British in 1782, but later returned. The bells have since returned to England twice more to be recast. They are one set of four that be heard pealing throughout downtown Charleston.
Some amazing wisteria helping frame the beauty of 52 Meeting Street. Ah, spring in Charleston.
This little pooch can be found outside of the Citadel's Stadium, honoring the the Citadel Bulldogs. The stadium is named after Brigader General Johnson Hagood, who commanded the Confederate forces in Charleston during the Civil War and later became the governor of South Carolina. Nice puppy.
The Porters Lodge, built about 1850, framing a nighttime view of Randolph Hall (built 1829-30) and the Cistern at the College of Charleston.
When you are walking along the High Battery in this direction, if you look to your left you will see Shutes Folly, a small island in Charleston Harbor. The island is home to Castle Pinckney -- a small fortification that was built in about 1810 by the US government.
The early morning sun lighting up Rainbow Row on East Bay Street. This historic stretch of antebellum row houses is one of the most iconic and visited spots in Charleston.
This beautiful view can be found in the Circular Church's graveyard. The graveyard is the oldest English burial ground still in existence in Charleston. The earliest grave, which is unmarked, dates back to 1685!
Church Street is one of the loveliest streets to walk down in Charleston. This part, where it becomes paved with bricks, is sometimes referred to as The Bend. Have you strolled along this beautiful stretch?
This beautiful iron gate guards the entrance to what looks like a country lane, but it is actually the entrance to a driveway on Tradd Street in downtown Charleston.
This squirrel is having a snack in a very historic spot -- the graveyard of St. Michael's Church.
A peek of the steeple of St. Philip's Church, as seen from Chalmers Street.
Colorful buildings, along with wonderful restaurants, abound in Charleston. On this colorful stretch you can find the home of "High Cotton" on East Bay Street. Its sister restaurant, the wonderfully named "Slightly North of Broad," or SNOB, is right across the street. The name SNOB is an inside Charleston joke, as South of Broad is allegedly where all the snobs live.
Gedney Howe, II, a prominent Charlestonian and lawyer, was posthumously honored for his contributions to the community with this bust when the Charleston Judicial Center was built.