For all the beauty and mystique of Charleston' famed floral sites, there is nothing quite as simply sublime as the aura of White Point Garden. This 6.5 acre area offers an interesting contrast of statuesque oaks trees and banks of azaleas, mingled among an array of historic guns and military monuments. This southern tip of
Charleston's peninsula was mostly mud flat and sand bar in the colonial period, named for the oyster shells that bleached white at low tide. It was here that scores of pirates met an ignominious end on gallows meant to warn other offenders not to trouble Charleston from the sea, and fortifications were built to protect the city from incoming vessels. In 1834, the city dredged up harbor bottom to fill in the area as a public park, and a bath house was erected and bands played for a public eager to enjoy the cooling breezes and waters. In its early years, the park's soft grass and relaxing atmosphere were not for all to stretch their legs, however, and in 1853, turnstiles were erected and an ordinance issued prohibiting "cows, mules, horses and inebriates". Civil War turned the garden into a fortress again, with earthworks and guns replacing benches and flowers. So far from the blockading fleet outside the harbor, the White Point guns were sparsely used, and the most famous blast was from a cannon blown up by evacuating Confederates in 1865 that scattered one large piece into an East Battery Street attic where it lies today. Following the war, new trees were planted and the garden again became a popular gathering place, and after hurricanes damaged the bath house, it was removed and a central band stand built, where performers played regularly into the 1920's. Guns made a comeback too, but this time only for show. The accumulating arsenal included artillery from Fort Sumter, sea coast mortars, Revolutionary War guns, howitzers and rapid-fire guns, and the famous Keokuk gun, which had been retrieved from a sunken Union ironclad in 1863 and used by the Confederates. Nowadays, the big guns are irresistible to children who enjoy climbing, while parents wander the park reading inscriptions on eye-catching monuments dedicated to various defenders of the city from long ago. The old band stand has been fully restored and is now a popular location for outdoor weddings. From any of its benches or walking paths, people can view sailboats and ships passing in the harbor, getting a much more peaceful, pleasant reception in White Point Garden today.
Fun Day at Folly Beach
Folly Beach actually offers three enjoyable day trips, each with a separate appeal. In the heart of the island community, which is nicknamed the "Edge of America", the Charleston County Parks Commission runs the beautiful Edwin S. Taylor fishing pier that stretches more than 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. Decked out with a tackle shop, rod rentals, and separate fishing stations with water basins, cutting and measuring boards, the massive pier also has a 7500 square foot mezzanine area ideal for spectacular views of the Folly surf. The pier, which is second largest on America's East coast, is host to a number of fishing tournaments throughout the year, in which anglers can land channel bass, tarpon and mackerel. The Mezzanine area is also host to various dance events, and Folly Beach has long been famous for the sound and sights of the official South Carolina dance, the Shag. From the convenient pier parking lot which has an all day fee of $7 per vehicle, there are shops, an Oceanside restaurant, restroom and shower facilities. Open until 11pm from April through October, the pier offers a wonderful opportunity for sunset and evening strolls to the sound of pounding surf and an island background known for its entertaining nature. Down on the South end of Folly Beach at the terminus of East Ashley Avenue, is Folly Beach County Park, which offers more serene surroundings in a setting that is completely unspoiled. Park entry is a flat $5 fee, for which there is simple open-space parking, one restroom hut, and an endless horizon of waves, sand dunes, and sea breeze. The South end of Folly Island stands over the confluence of Atlantic Ocean and Folly River, overlooking Kiawah Island. In between the islands, visible from the Folly park, is Bird Key, a small, uninhabited sand island where shorebirds flock and nest. On any visit to the park, visitors are guaranteed to see breath-taking avian activity – from diving pelicans to swooping black skimmers. The pristine waters provide a visual feeding frenzy, with dolphins splashing through shallows in search of schools of fish. At this remote spot, it is very likely that visitors can see one of the dolphin's most captivating behaviors, called "stranding". The dolphin will swim fast toward the beach, pushing a wall of water filled with fish in front of them on to the shore. The dolphin will literally come out of the water to eat the fish, then wiggle its way back into the water. Even without the continuous show of creatures, this undeveloped end of Folly Beach is worth a trip just for a great beach walk along foaming surf and towering dunes. Finally, there is the open area on the North end of Folly, which is also Charleston County property, but offers no facilities. This quarter-mile hike through scrub myrtles and oaks is rewarding in its magnificent views of the old Morris Island Lighthouse, standing surrounded by water in Lighthouse Inlet, just off the beach. The 1876 light is a famous landmark in Charleston, and has stood strong against storm and waves for more than a century, colorfully painted in white and black striping from its days as a marker for the U.S. Lighthouse service.
Cicada Symphony
Summer nights in Charleston often echo with a soft, high-pitched buzz that many people assume are crickets in the distance. In fact, this background music on balmy evenings comes from the Cicada (pronounced Sikaduh), a curious-looking critter with a fascinating lifestyle. Charleston's version of this entertaining insect is called the Periodical Cicada, because it only appears periodically, after long stretches of incubation. Each Summer, female Cicadas dig into tree bark and lay eggs. When hatched, the molting “nymphs” burrow underground, absorbing nutrients for as many as 17 years before re-emerging as winged adults. The heat of the Summer stimulates the Cicadas into action, and they have only a matter of months to mate and start the process all over again.
The familiar sound is a mating sound made by the male Cicada, who rubs of section of vertebrae called tymbals in order to attract and court a female. Cicadas in 2011 have hatched by the billions, according to biologists, so the sounds are very distinct that lover is in the air. In a few months, all will be quiet, as a new generation has been deposited, and waits its turn in the line of years of nymphs ready to hatch.
Fortunately, Cicadas don't bite humans, and are typically more on the menu for birds and other creatures. Even though they have wings, they are not inclined to do much flying, and typically cling to trees to make their sounds. Just by virtue of the fact that billions are all around us, and yet we rarely see them, shows how unobtrusive they are and how much they're being eaten.
One very interesting aspect of the Cicada symphony that fascinates scientists is the variance of decibel levels and speed of the insects' noise generator. Increased levels of the chirping sound have been shown to correspond to increases in temperature, so the Cicada is in effect, a living thermometer.
Tantalizing Tour
For those discovering Charleston for the first time, walking tours provide arguably the most enjoyable, informative way to enjoy the historic city. One of the very best is “Charleston Footprints” with 7th-generation Charleston native Michael Trouche.
Michael grew up on Legare Street, in the famous South of Broad district, and his family has lived in the historic downtown area since 1793. He is author of two highly-popular books on Charleston – Charleston Yesterday and Today and The Charm of Charleston.
The Charleston Footprints tour begins in the French Quarter and Michael carries on a lively, detailed description of landmarks, local culture and curiosities as the tour wends its way down enchanting cobblestone streets and into historic interiors. At the famed Dock Street Theater, Michael explains how the stage was recreated from its long-lost colonial origins, and how he was once involved in a hilarious incident on stage during a local theater production. On certain days, the old Huguenot Church is open, and Michael takes guests inside for a look at the grand Henry Erben tracker organ that was being pilfered by Union troops in 1865, only to have the local organist talk them in to putting it back, where it still plays today. Through Washington Park, the tour wanders past giant live oaks, which Michael explains were the foundation for one of Charleston’s most memorable scenes in modern times.
Crossing into the famous South of Broad district, Michael’s tour enters the scintillating sanctuary of St. Michael’s church, the oldest in the downtown area, opened in 1761. From descriptions of its incredible Tiffany details to details on famous visitors and odd ordinances involving the church, Michael gives visitors an appreciation of what they are seeing and touching that is unsurpassed by any other guide. The church yard at St. Michael’s is still another feature only available to those who walk, and includes the fascinating stories of burial techniques, famous graves (including two signers of the U.S. Constitution), and unique stories of such traditional torments as “stranger’s fever”.
Drawing attention to otherwise overlooked areas of interest, Michael explains the story of notable hand-made artifacts, such as blown glass, huge columns, picturesque roof tops, carved stones and woodwork, wrought iron, and the African origins of sweet grass basket weaving. With existing buildings and landmarks, Michael gives an intimately-detailed glimpse into Charleston’s past, offering a tangible feel for aspects of life. Where and how slaves lived, alleys once used for rope-making, buildings converted from stables and outdoor kitchens, methods used to sweep chimneys or make bricks, and on and on.
Down quaint, hidden areas, Michael takes the tour through the heart of historic Charleston to the stunning waterfront vistas of the famous Battery, where people once stood to watch the firing on Fort Sumter that initiated the Civil War. There, Michael explains a waterfront that once was piled high with cotton, rice and slaves, and where unforgettable events occurred that shape South Carolina’s and American history, from the battles that were fought to the curious “Palmetto flag” flying today.
Michael’s tour is marked by flourishing gardens and statuesque trees, and winds across the bricks of old Church Street over areas that were reclaimed from creeks and still bear colonial artifacts today. Michael remembers sites that were much differently used in his boyhood, such as the beautiful single-family house that was once home to “Pete and Harry’s” grocery, and a front for chicken fights out back. Finishing near grand colonial houses and the mystifying tale of “chevaux de Frise” on Meeting Street, the tour is as complete an introduction to Charleston as can be offered.
The English Garden
Formal gardens are a long-time tradition in historic downtown Charleston, and for many years, blooming plants were the major attraction for tourists. The idea blossomed in the mid-18th century, as the increasing wealth of the city allowed for more leisure time and more money to spend on it. The hugely-profitable exports of timber, indigo and rice paid for larger homes that proliferated throughout the city from the 1720’s through the 1770’s, typically built on long, narrow lots where there was limited space between them.
What those lot areas did provide, however, was enough room to create a flourishing buffer that enhanced the beauty of the residence and allowed its owners a view of tranquility and relaxation beyond living room windows. Gardening was an art like any other, and dating back to old England, had a large number of skilled professionals who combined botanical knowledge with artistic concepts to make memorable greenspaces.
The “English garden” became synonymous with the concept of an outdoor area planted with symmetrical precision, complete with varieties of growths offering varieties of shapes, colors and scents. To add to the concept that entering the garden was a step into a separate, mesmerizing world, spaces were compartmentalized as distinguishable “rooms”, each entered along curving paths or through winding hedges, and featuring fountains or statuary.
What was fashionable in England found an ever-expanding audience in the prosperous province of South Carolina, and gardeners advertised their skills in the newspapers and periodicals of Charleston. Just as iron smiths, cabinet makers, an stone carvers immigrated to play their trade, so too many garden experts came to ply their trade in South Carolina’s inviting subtropical climate and healthy soil.
What stood so brilliantly beside many houses for years suffered after the Civil War, when a blighted economy made gardening a low priority. But overgrown spaces and weed-filled walks experienced a Renaissance beginning in the 1930’s, as Charleston’s Emily Whaley teamed up with relocating New York landscape architect Loutrell Briggs. By re-emphasizing the appeal of small, formal spaces next to homes with tantalizing combinations of layout and flora, the two helped Charleston reclaim its traditional position as a gardening Mecca, and today our downtown gardens are some of the most mesmerizing in the world.
The Pink House
The Pink House at 17 Chalmers Street is a rarity in Charleston for a number of reasons. It is one of few buildings left that still bears a siding of Bermuda Stone, a soft coral material that was cheaply mined for simple construction in the colonial period. Bermuda stones were relatively soft and could be cut into large slabs that made building very simple, as well as virtually impervious to fire and earthquake. The tiny building, measuring only 13 x 13 in its original footprint, was built at the turn of the 18th century as a tavern along a small alley inside the early walled city, where it was a hangout for sailors and dockworkers, who “tippled” with ale and Madeira before wandering into nearby brothels. Known initially by the name of owners such as John Breton, the structure was soon nicknamed the Pink House as a result of the pastel hue that its stone walls gave off after long exposure to air. Bermuda stone fell out of favor as a building material, and with the development of more skilled artisans in old Charleston, stylish wooden weatherboarding, brick and stucco became the fashion for exteriors.
The old building is also notable for its high-pitched, clay-tiled Gambrel roof, of which there aren’t many in Charleston. This method of roofing that originated with the Dutch is created to give more headroom on the top floor, which in the Pink House is the third story, as well as allow smoke from the interior fireplaces to dissipate without hindrance of overhanging eaves.
The Pink House has seen major changes along Chalmers Alley, which was widened in 1815 to its present width as Chalmers Street. Livery stables next door have given way to parking lots, and down the street at Ryan’s Mart, tourists now come and go freely where slaves were once auctioned. The colorful name of the structure has been enhanced in modern times with coats of pink pastel paint, which now serve to distinguish a chic art gallery. This once-rugged city sector of drunken sailors and slave sales is today known as the fashionable French Quarter, a name created in 1973 to protect the historic area from development. The Pink House has been added to with a rear section that features more art work today, but the low ceilings and open hearth fireplaces still capture the feel of yesterday.
Hidden Restaurant delights
At one of Charleston’s well-known restaurants prior to the Civil War, a popular saying was “big columns outside, tough steaks inside”. Much has changed in the look and quality of city dining since then, and at many of the fine restaurants around Charleston today, the exterior façade is as unpretentious as the food inside is exquisite.
There’s a distinct European flavor in a growing number of small, comfortable restaurants that have flourished in areas not traditionally known for dining. On Bogard Street in quiet Elliottborough, Trattoria Lucca offers a taste of Tuscany with sumptuous pastas, meat and fish dishes enlivened with “old country” olive oil, goat butter, and mushrooms. Chef Ken Vendrinski has masterfully prepares such entrees as Italian duck sausage, Trigger fish and Hangar steak, complemented with Italy’s most renowned vintages. The corner restaurant is compact and cozy, and adorned with banquettes and small tables, it blends in to a very residential street scene.
On Warren Street, Pane e Vino brings another hearty slice of northern Italy with a variety of meat and seafood dishes flavored with traditional Bolognese sauce and hand-made pasta. Almost hidden on a small street off of busy King Street, the little restaurant features a pleasant handful of linen-draped tables and wine shelves reminiscent of romantic eateries in Europe.
At La Fourchette restaurant on King Street, chef Perig Goulet has rekindled classic sparks of the Parisian Marais with a charming little dining room sensuously decorated. Such specialties as beef tartare and hangar steak are delightfully prepared in classic French fashion with garnishing of cauliflower and pommes de terre that melt in the mouth. Patrons rave about the wonderful atmosphere of romantic French music, excellent service and moderate prices. The small façade is almost hidden along busy King Street, but inside, the aromas of fine foods and wine certainly catches the attention.
At FIG on the corner of Meeting and Hasell streets, the simple building exterior looks much the same as it did when a Western Union office called it home, but the dining experience inside has been widely-hailed as one of Charleston’s most noteworthy. Chef Mike Lata is dedicated to incorporating the bounty of coastal Carolina produce into his complex menu, with the finest in local fish, vegetables and meats highlighting such entrees as sautéed white shrimp and radicchio, farm lamb carne cruda, sweet potato soup and coddled sea island farm egg. A separate small bar area is ideal for building an appetite with a fine selection of international wines complementing the scent of fresh garnishings.
Renovation at the Dock Street Theater
Among the most skillfully preserved sites in Charleston has been the Dock Street Theater on Church Street. The building dates to the turn of the 19th century, where the Planters Hotel was built as a replacement for the old theater building that had faced Queen Street, formerly Dock Street. Refitted with a façade of brownstone columns and cast iron balcony in the 1850’s, the hotel became the most posh accommodation in the city, but closed after the Civil War. Fortunes of the area suffered and the old structure looked drab and run-down until the city got Federal money during the New Deal to refurbish it. Commissioning architects to use historic drawings and plans, the city reestablished a colonial-era theater inside the old hotel that was renamed the Dock Street Theater and reopened for performances in 1937. Part of the project included salvaging hand-carved woodwork from the 1799 Radcliffe-King mansion on Meeting Street, which was torn down to build a college gymnasium. A new renovation on the theater was just completed by the city in April, 2010, restoring its fabled brownstones, terra cotta courtyard tiling, and the outstanding details of the old Radcliffe-King House featured in theater lobbies and ancillary rooms. Visitors can enjoy entering the theater for free on weekdays to marvel at the stunning theater that displays the emblem of the English kings above its intimate stage and charming balconies. The old building is much like entering a colonial mansion as well, as the ornate woodwork, fashioned by hand in the 1790’s, is as lustrous today as ever.
Old District Jail In Need of Repair
Charleston’s old district jail on Magazine Street is just north of the famed South of Broad district, but a million miles from the consciousness of the daily city visitor. Built in 1803 in a section that was then on the marshy border of city, the towering old fortress construction was never meant to be a tourism showcase. Instead it was a place of punishment and misery for the next 137 years, closing in 1939 and used sparingly by the city as a police station and housing authority maintenance shop since. But time has mellowed the terror of the old place, and made its massive crenelated walls and turrets of much more interest to architectural historians. Since 2000, it has been home to the American College of the Building Arts, where classes are taught in sculpting, woodcarving, and iron work. The old lock-up was fortunate to get tenants who knew something about structural changes, as the jail was quickly crumbling from decades of neglect and damage. The old cells and halls provide a fascinating look into this very mundane aspect of Charleston history, and old walls still bear the graffiti of those locked up more than a century ago. The construction itself is unique in its Romanesque bulk, including attic cisterns and a roofing system that fed the water supply, as well as reverse-arch foundations that have kept the huge half-acre structure from sinking into the soft ground below. The old district jail, which is mistakenly called a city jail by too many who should know better, is in need of considerable repair, but is low on the totem pole of projects in Charleston today, so its future is not guaranteed.
Charles Towne Landing
Take a step back in time. Take a trip to Charles Towne Landing located in the West Ashley area of greater Charleston. The original city founded in 1670. Spend the day and visit the zoo, the ship, interactive museum, tour dig sites and much, much more!
