22 June Historic Charleston

new builds

Once we discovered how easy it is to cycle around Charleston we went everywhere by bike. There are no hills, wide pavements and some cycle paths and plenty of conveniently placed bike racks for locking to. It's not too big either; in less than ten minutes we could be downtown and in fifteen in the heart of the historic district.

antique meets old

Calhoun Mansion

First I found the leafy streets lined with colonial style houses, all balconies and beautiful woodwork and some with real gas lamps at their doors. In the old town some of the lanes were still the original cobblestones. Charleston claims the first theatre in America; opened in 1736 it was the first building built specifically for performing arts. In it's history it has burnt down, a hotel built on the spot and this building has been converted back to a theatre. Much of the architecture of the churches follows the English style. More than one looked very similar to a church in London. But there is a timely reminder of how much of the early wealth of this area was created in the trendy and popular shopping and eating district. The slave market buildings close to the waterfront would have provided the labour for the plantations in South Carolina. The market has now been converted to a covered market of craft stores.

first theatre in America

Back on the cycle trail we followed the shore along the Battery. Apparently the first shot of the War of Independence was fired at Fort Sumter at the entrance to the harbour. There are still a number of eighteenth century forts around the harbour which you can visit.

I have a particular fondness for King Street for the many ladies clothes shops. Many of the familiar high street names and a plenty of independent stores made for a happy afternoon of retail therapy and instantly my wardrobe is reinvigorated with a few carefully chosen shorts and summer tops. OK. I admit I'm a cliché. New clothes perk me up.