Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure have named Charleston the #1 U.S. City for 2013 for the third year in a row! Now is the time to visit!
Charleston's Largest Private Sector Employers
| Company | Product or Service | Employees |
| Boeing South Carolina | Aircraft Manufacturing | 6,000 |
| Roper St. Francis Healthcare | Hospital System | 5,100 |
| JEM Restaurant Group | Taco Bell and Pizza Hut franchises | 3,000 |
| Trident Health System | Hospital System | 2,500 |
| Walmart Stores Inc. | Retail Merchandise | 2,300 |
| Robert Bosch LLC | Antilock Breaking Systems, fuel injectors, common rail and unit injectors | 2,200 |
| Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co, Inc | Grocery Wholesale/retailer headquarters, distribution center | 1,800 |
| SAIC | System engineering and integration services | 1,800 |
| Nucor Steel | Steel roll and steel beam manufacturing | 1,500 |
| Kiawah Island Golf Resort/The Sanctuary at Kiawah | Resort | 1,500 |
| Blackbaud Inc. | Specialty computer software development & design | 1,300 |
Old Santee Canal Park
Another great day trip is Old Santee Canal Park in Moncks Corner, 30 miles from Charleston in Berkeley County. The 195-acre park is situated at the site of historic Stoney Landing Plantation along the Cooper River, where a 22-mile canal was opened in 1800 for the purpose of connecting to the Santee River and giving upstate South Carolina a direct water route to the sea. The entrance to the park's interpretive center is built in the shape of a canal lock, and the original water route featured ten such locks in bringing flatboats filled with cotton from higher elevations to the sea-level of the Cooper River. Besides this fascinating piece of South Carolina history, the park also features a replica of the famous CSS David, a unique semi-submersible torpedo boat built on the plantation during the Civil War. The 19th century plantation house is still intact at the park as an exhibit as well, and there are miles of hiking trails along bluffs rising from the river. Next door, the Berkeley Museum is worth a visit with its varieties of genuine artifacts from the days when Stoney Landing was a rice plantation worked by slaves. Period tools, building materials, eating and drinking utensils and embroidery are among the wealth of artifacts from both slave cabins and the plantation house. This section of the Cooper River leads to the 1930's Santee-Cooper dam that replaced much of the old canal, where today wildlife abounds in a fresh-water habitat that attracts ospreys, cormorants, herons, egrets, and white tailed deer. For information on the park, go to www.santeecanalpark.org.
Francis Beidler Forest
As early Spring awakens the flora and fauna of coastal South Carolina, a great day trip for nature lovers awaits at Francis Beidler Forest in Dorchester County. Deep in the heart of the famed Four Hole Swamp, this pristine stand of ancient bald cypress trees towers majestically over a serene wetland landscape. The 16,000 acre Francis Beidler Forest is owned by the National Audubon Society, and is accessible by foot along a 1.75 mile boardwalk, as well as canoe and kayak paddling trails.
With cypress trees standing over one hundred feet above, and gently flowing fresh water below, the forest is a dazzling sensory experience. Thousands of conical “cypress knees” project from the black waters that are darkened by the organic matter through which the flow seeps, and the air is filled with sounds of creatures who flock to this natural sanctuary. Pileated woodpeckers tap on lofty limbs, while prothonotary warblers sing their hearts out below. Alligators rip the air with mating calls, while crawfish and slider turtles gurgle from beneath the surface. Ducks, deer, amphibians, fish and waterfowl all call Francis Beidler home, and its immense peacefulness has a wonderfully restorative quality.
Francis Beidler Forest is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9am to 5pm. It is located in Harleyville, approximately 45 minutes from Charleston near Harleyville, SC. For more information visit www.beidlerforest.org.
Drains and Mains
Beneath Charleston's streets still there are remains a maze of historic drains and mains that once served the city. Miles of pipe were first laid in the late 1870's as a means of creating water pressure for 165 hydrants installed on curbs around the city. Until that time, there was no abundant water source for the city, but the first successful artesian well drilled in 1876 would change things dramatically. The continuous flow of water from underground aquifers, as well as above-ground pumping stations that supplied pressure, made the hydrants far more effective than the city's archaic fire wells that had to be pumped by fire companies' individual steam engines. The new main system would dramatically improve Charleston's fire fighting capabilities with the new city-wide department created in 1881, and the technology of pressured underground pipes would lead to the first sewer connections for downtown houses in the early 1890's.
Lots of water wasn't always a good thing for the old city, which is largely built on land reclaimed from marsh, mudflat and tidal creek. Flooding was an issue throughout Charleston's history, and high tides constantly made streets into quagmires. Shortly after the Revolution, city engineers came up with a surprisingly effective solution, using a technology that had served rice plantations for many years.
The idea was to build underground water tunnels called “tidal drains” that collected street water and opened into the surrounding rivers, and equip them adjoining “traps” where high tides would push in swinging doors and be held in place. A mechanism could release the water from the traps, which would flow by gravity at considerable force back out in the harbor. By trapping and releasing the tides, the engineers could effectively flush the city streets.
Over the years, the brick tidal drains were supplanted by iron and steel pipes of more modern drainage, but many of the old brick tunnels still exist beneath the streets of Charleston.
Charleston Grey Brick
Charleston's historic district is dominated by brick houses, which account for about 65 per cent of the residential construction. Although blessed with abundant pine and cypress forests nearby, the early city favored brick construction because of its fire deterrent capabilities, and after several fires swept the city during colonial times, "brick ordinances" were passed compelling that material for new construction. The coastal plain around Charleston was also a natural source of clay and lime for brick making. Nearby plantations along the Cooper and Wando Rivers made fortunes by using slave labor to dig subterranean layers, then form them into loaf-sized sections, bake them in massive kilns to hardness. Large operations could turn out millions of bricks each year, and by the 1720's, Charleston was dominated by this construction. Uneven baking in kilns did create some problems, such as undercooked soft bricks that were notoriously known as "soakers" because they were so porous to water intrusion. To remedy that problem, brick exteriors were often sealed with layers of lime and sand called stucco, and the 1720-era Col. Robert Brewton house at 73 Church Street is considered to be the first house in Charleston adorned with decorative stucco. Still, brick was a staple in construction and in much demand. Most brick makers created standard sizes used in England, measuring 9 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inches. A typical two-story house would require as many as 100,000 bricks, laid in thicker courses in the foundation, tapering to thinner walls in the upper floors so as not to create top-heavy instability. An important ingredient to maintain the structural integrity of buildings standing in this hurricane and earthquake prone area was the heavily line-based mortar that joined bricks together. The lime mortar actually expands and contracts under pressure, providing a much-needed "give" in walls that might crack if too rigid. The most common brick displayed in historic houses is Charleston Grey Brick, so-called because of the drab-colored clay excavated along the coast. Baking in kilns imparts pigments from the burning wood, as well as creating a chemical change that turned finished brick into the mottled red color so dominant in Charleston today.
Joseph Manigault House in Historic downtown Charleston
There is perhaps no better "happy ending" preservation story than the Joseph Manigault House at 350 Meeting Street located in historic, downtown Charleston. This grandiose example of Adam-style architecture was built in 1803, overlooking what was an open meadow that stretched to the north along the largely-undeveloped peninsula. Designed by Charleston architect Gabriel Manigault as a townhouse for his wealthy brother Joseph, the house features a delicately curved staircase, 12-foot ceilings, and large piazzas to catch cooling breezes. A layer of lime was inserted between the floor and subflooring to repel insects and rot, and the hosue is also distinguished by its "Temple Gate" overlooking the front garden. The Manigault family were descendants of French Huguenots who had left their mother country because of religious persecution, but had prospered greatly in a tolerant atmosphere of colonial Charleston. No doubt much of their welcome was based on the wealth that they brought with them, and which was quickly converted into rice plantations that created huge fortunes. By the time Gabriel was born in 1758, his family was very prominent, and he was sent to Switzerland and England to study law. His passion was architecture, however, and he designed some of the most notable structures in Charleston, including City Hall and the South Carolina Society. Some of his great buildings suffered as Charleston's fortunes waned in the late 19th century, after its economy was decimated by the Civil War. Joseph's old house was converted to a tenement, subdivided by floors for the sake of rent. By the early 20th century, the structure was decaying, and in a section of town that had become mostly commercial. It was a sure candidate for the wrecking ball until bought by the Standard Oil Company in 1922 for use as a filling station. Drivers who bought a full tank of gas got a free tour of the old house and the garden temple gate became the most city's most historic public restroom. The property was put up for auction in 1933 and fortunately was purchased by the Charleston Museum, whose board scraped up enough money to buy but not to restore, so it was leased to the federal government as a womens' USO club during World War II. It survived to become one of today's most featured "museum houses", and is a great tribute to its originator and those who saved it from destruction.
Charleston Trolleys
The Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) operates two free trolley routes seven days a week in downtown Charleston with fourteen stops in various places from Broad Street to Spring Street. The distinctive-looking trolleys are fashioned to look like the old street trolleys that once plied these historic streets for nearly eighty years Horses and mules were the pulling power for Charleston's first public transit system that opened in 1866 with trolley cars on tracks laid down the center of major thoroughfares such as King, Broad and Meeting streets. Most Charlestonians road the trolleys, whose numbers increased so that one added line took picnickers to Magnolia Cemetery on Sundays.
The first electric-powered trolleys were added to routes in 1897, and conductors were equipped with removable controls after several of the cars were “borrowed” by pranksters. Known as “iron donkeys”, the electric trolleys briefly shared tracks with horse-drawn cars that were being phased out, and there were several accidents in which animals came face to face with mechanized vehicles, and broke and ran with loads of passengers inside.
The automobile had arrived on city streets by the 1920's, adding to the confusion. Before traffic lights and stop signs came along in the 1930's, city ordinances were passed requiring motorized vehicles to stop for any mule or horse rider who put a hand in the air, and gave cars bound north to south priority over those traveling east and west – which worked if everyone had a compass.
The trolley tracks became obsolete in 1938, as Charleston's new “belt line” bus service was created. For many years, some of the old tracks were still visible when street gangs dug beneath the layers of asphalt.
Today, there are are still occasional confrontations with powered vehicles and draft animals, nowadays pulling tourist wagons, but you'll have to drive yourself to Magnolia Cemetery.
Scottish Games
2011 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Scottish Games and Highland Gathering in Charleston, to be held September 17th at Boone Hall Plantation. This is no doubt one of the most enjoyable family events in Coastal South Carolina, and features some of the most unusual sporting competitions ever witnessed. There's loads of fun annually on this warm September Saturday, with bagpipes echoing among ancient oak trees of Boone Hall's plantation lawns. The food, costumes, dancing and merrymaking are a grand time unto themselves, but it's the skill of the strong men in their Scottish kilts that makes it all so worthwhile.
The most visually incredible competition is the caber toss, in which massive cypress logs are flung by individual competitors. As long as 22 feet, the caber can weigh hundreds of pounds, and the trick is to hold it cupped in two hands and heave it end over end. Only the most powerful and skilled can do this and brawn is only part of the equation. The stone clacknert is a lump of rock that is heaved similar to a shot put, and it is remarkable how far this massive can be thrown by much more massive performers. A typical Scottish Games competitor weighs in at the 250-300 pound mark, which is necessary in throwing 28 and 56-pound iron weights for distance, and spinning discus-like with arms outstretched to toss the long metal hammer.
The sheaf toss is a throwback to days on the Scottish farms, as competitors spear a heavy mass of hay bale with a pitchfork, and try to throw it over a pole set on supports high above the ground. The pole is set higher and higher until the highest throw wins, then it's a mad dash to the nearest ibuprofen bottle.
There is also a Border Collie Demo competition in which these classic dogs show their skill, and the day is not complete without a dancing of Scottish reels to pipes and drums.
Charleston has a very strong Scottish connection, and those of Scottish descent make up the largest European heritage in the city. More than 35 Scottish clans will be represented in 2011, as the games are a throwback to the days when these families gathered to assert their nationality and independence. The strength competitions date from an era when soldiers were chosen from the strongest and most skilled, and the event has not lost any of its luster in all the centuries since.
Restaurant Recommendations
Visitors often ask for local advice as to enjoyable places to dine. Suggesting restaurants can be a challenge in Charleston, where we have so many good choices and interesting venues, so it can be difficult to narrow down to the select few. For various categories there are some eateries whose names seeming come up on a regular basis, so here goes.
For ambience, one of the most delightful is Fulton Five at 5 Fulton Street just off King Street. This cozy little restaurant has a small, single dining room and a few seats at its attractive bar. Tucked away on a shaded street in an historic building, the white linens and classic décor make for an exquisite atmosphere, and is reminiscent of old Europe. High Cotton Restaurant at 199 East Bay Street is much more commodious in size, but is tastefully arranged to feature an extremely comfortable décor. Located overlooking a busy restaurant section along historic East Bay, the restaurant gives the feeling of being part of the zesty public scene while at the same time elegantly situated. Hank's Seafood at 10 Hayne Street offers a dazzling first glance with its classic hardwood paneling, flooring and alluring wrap-around bar. The look and feel of Hank's conveys a mood of elegant openness, and is a place one feels comfortable to see and be seen.
For flavor and food, Blossom Café at 171 East Bay Street offers a great selection that includes spicy seafood dishes and hand-tossed pizza from brick ovens. Over at Cru Café on 18 Pinckney Street, sensational southern flavors include poached pears and buttermilk fried oysters. At Trattoria Lucca at 41 Bogard Street, Tuscan dishes are all the rage in Charleston these days, and just the name Gorgonzola Creamafacia suggests that the meal will be a treat. Southern tradition is the basic ingredient at Jestine's Kitchen at 251 Meeting Street, where collard greens and okra gumbo still have a decidedly strong appeal. Authentically French cuisine is always irresistible, and at Gaulart et Maliclet at 98 Broad Street, the flavors of France simmer in a cozy downtown setting.
For just plain old good times, it's hard to beat Cypress Restaurant at 157 East Bay Street, where the upstairs restaurant/bar is a great place to start an evening with appetizers such as the ginger half-shell oysters and a glistening seating area that uplifts the spirit. Side by side at 432 and 434 King Street are La Fourchette and Hall's Chop House, each with a markedly different appeal. Both Chef Perig at La Fourchette and the Hall family at the Chophouse are very personable and welcoming to all who enter. The Chop House has live jazz and an upbeat atmosphere of well-heeled aesthetes, while La Fourchette is romantically filled with music from old Paris in a candle-lit atmosphere that seems to fit a Bogard movie. The name gives away the location at 82 Queen Street restaurant, which has long enjoyed a reputation as a pleasurable locale, with its cozy room seating inside the historic 1870 structure, and a lush garden seating area ideal for those wonderful nights in Charleston.
