Charleston Overview

Known for its Southern charm, historic cobblestone streets, and as a vacationer's paradise, Charleston is the charming belle of the South with much to offer for travelers of all types. The seaside city sits on a peninsula at the midpoint along the South Carolina coastline on the Atlantic Ocean at the confluence of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. Charleston is often called The Holy City for its abundance of churches, cathedrals, and synagogues and because the notable city skyline is dominated by church towers. Doubling as a college town, Charleston is home to the historic College of Charleston and the state's military college, The Citadel, in addition to the Charleston School of Law, the Medical university of South Carolina, and the American College of the Building Arts. The postcard-perfect Charleston is a very family-friendly destination with standard Southern hospitality, a vibrant arts scene, fantastic seafood and Southern dining specialties, white-sand beaches, and grand estates and historic plantations to tour among its many historic attractions.

Charleston History

Charleston was originally founded in 1670 under the name of "Charles Towne", after King Charles II of England. The original Charles Towne settlement was located at Albemarle Point west of the Ashley River, but moved to its present spot on Oyster Point in 1680. The early Charles Towne was one of the largest cities in the country by the year 1690, and it remained so for years afterward. Charles Town was dubbed the "Holy City" due to its many churches and steeples that made up the city's skyline. It also got its nickname because it was a refuge for French Huguenots, who found Charles Town to be one of the only places that was tolerant of them (and many other religions) and allowed them to practice freely without rules.

Charles Town was a bustling port and trading town in its early days, and by 1710, slave trade had become a large and profitable part of the city's economy. During the Revolutionary War, Charles Town was a focal point of many British attacks, and after they finally left their hold of the city in 1782, Charles Town officially became "Charleston". Charleston is also known for being the site of the first shots that were fired during the Civil War, and the city became a stronghold for Confederate soldiers during the war. After the Civil War ended, the city underwent major reconstruction and it took a while for Charleston to get back on its feet, but by the 1890s, it was well on its way to becoming once again a thriving industrial and technological hub of the South.