A Walk in Historical Charleston, SC

I put on several layers & my rain coat as the bad weather was due here at noon.  Leaving at 9a I walked from the Ashley River where our boat is docked to the Cooper River where the Battery is located. “The Battery” runs between these two rivers as it stretches along the south shores of the Charleston peninsula.  It is a defensive seawall and a promenade here enjoyed now by locals and visitors. This landmark was named for the defense artillery battery at this site which was set up to defend this harbor from naval attack.

The old city wall remained buried until traces were found in the 1920s. Then in the 1960s a portion of this wall was discovered in the basement of the Old Exchange Building. Now, “wall sightings” are reported regularly by road crews and homeowners.

In recent years they have found that there were three Redans in the wall. This is a triangular fortification that projects out from the main wall & worked with the wall to protect the city.  Each redan had 5 or 6 cannons. One found in the year 2008 to 2009 was found under 10 layers of soil representing 300 years.  Each Redan was about 5 feet wide and 8 to 11 feet high.

As I walked to the Battery I had to cross a cobble stone street...there are still a few of these roads here.  Even with thick soled tennis shoes on it was uncomfortable...one lady on a bike hollered

“ouwhee” as she bumped along! 

Most of the houses were built in the 1800s. This one is built sideways to the street.  Notice the front door (far left behind tree) actually opens onto that porch.

Here's that same door on the street side.   Most houses were only one room wide on the street front. 

 Some have said this was to keep the house cool as the prevailing winds were southwest and would blow from end to end of the home.  But I believe the true reason was to keep the taxes lower as property was taxed based on the street frontage.

This corner house shows this sideways placement even better.   Front

Side of house.

Same is true for this pink & white house.

Front of this same three story pink & white house.  

A church I passed on my walk downtown.

Side of another house.

Street Frontage of same house with door opening onto porch.

Spring was evident although it was cold today.

I don't know what this bush is but the pink flowers were ruffled like double carnations. Very pretty!

Dogwood

Walking south just before getting to the lower Battery, where all the large homes are, is Waterfront Park.

A nice cool place for sunny days ahead.

This house and all the mansions on the Battery face the water.  Fort Sumter is clearly visible from their balconies.......I believe some homeowners here witnessed the first shots fired that started the Civil War!

As I type, the rain is falling and the wind is blowing....it has started later than first forecast meaning it will probably last longer.  We had hoped to be moving again tomorrow.... however, we may be hunkering down here enjoying being at a dock instead of on the hook tomorrow night.