Charleston Vacation, Charleston Historic Attractions

For all the history it’s seen in the centuries since it was founded in 1680 in its present location (the first settlement was across the Ashley River), Charleston is none the worse for wear. From pre-Civil War plantations and Colonial-era dungeons to antebellum rowhouses, visitors can partake in a wide variety of opportunities immerse in the history of the Holy City (so named for the church steeples that show up in the city’s skyline), from its beginnings to the present day. Though many attractions are open to the public, some aren’t and must be appreciated from a distance.

The Peninsula

Downtown Charleston presents so many attractions for history lovers that it’s almost impossible to cover them all in a short visit, despite the small size of the area.

The Battery is the southernmost section of the downtown area and includes a small park called White Point Gardens. The Battery served as a line of defense against military intruders, first during the Revolutionary War and again during the Civil War. Cannons that date back to the War Between the States are memorialized in White Point Gardens along with stacks of cannonballs, and are a popular backdrop for photographs.

Charleston’s historic houses are a must-see, and Rainbow Row on lower East Bay Street is a good place to start. These houses from 83 to 107 East Bay Street and date from the mid-18th century are multicolored rowhouses that run along the Battery and face the Cooper River. Gershwin used them as the location for Porgy and Bess and they make up one of the most photographed scenes in Charleston.

The Edmondston-Alston House is owned by Middleton Place Plantation and is one of the earliest houses built in the city that still survives, dating to 1825. Guided tours allow visitors to view almost two centuries of artifacts from a notable early Charleston family. Stand on the piazza—that’s Charlestonian for porch—and imagine the scene as Union forces bombed Fort Sumter just across the river.

 

• The Battery in Charleston is famous for its antebellum homes.

BillRhodesPhoto

4300 Ashley River Road. Tel 800-782-3608. Guided tours: Tue. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sun. and Mon., 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. www.middletonplace.org

The Aiken-Rhett House is two blocks from the Charleston Visitors Center, and provides an unblemished look at an unrestored antebellum house pretty much as it was in the mid-19th century. 48 Elizabeth St. Tel. 843-723-1159. Admission: $10. Hours: Mon. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun. 2 to 5 p.m. www.historiccharleston.org

Shuttle buses provide visitors with transportation along the route known as Museum Mile, which comprises six museums, five historic houses, four parks and a Revolutionary War powder magazine along its length.

Military History

Fort Sumter serves as Ground Zero for many Civil War aficionados, since it is where the Civil War began, and is a National Monument in the National Park Service. Spirit Line Cruises offers a two-hour long cruise with guides narrating the history of the first battle of the War Between the States, which includes an hourlong visit at the Fort itself.

 

• Explore the USS Yorktown, a once-active battleship and learn about the rigors and bravery of the patriot forces at Patriot’s Point.

Courtesy of the Charleston CVB

340 Concord St. Tel. 843-883-3123. Tour rates: $16 for adults, $10 for kids 6 to 11, free under 6. Open year-round except holidays, hours vary. www.nps.gov/fosu

The Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, just across the Cooper River in Mount Pleasant, is a decommissioned WWII aircraft carrier—the USS Yorktown—that has been turned into a museum and left largely untouched. You can almost hear the chatter of sailors roaming the halls.

40 Patriots Point Road. Tel. 866-831-1720. Admission: $16 for adults 12 and over, $8 for kids 6 to 11, free under 6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.patriotspoint.org

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