One of my favorite things to do is to spend an afternoon or day exploring the historic sites of Charleston. I've lived here my entire life, and have only begun to appreciate the rich history and culture Charleston offers.
I can remember a time in my life when I believed Charleston to be the ugliest and most boring place in the world. Every school field trip to downtown Charleston seemed like a waste of time. (I've often wished I could go back in time and savor the sites and history that I should have treasured then). I now count myself privileged to live in such an amazing city.
While we may be most well known for our rebellion that led to Civil War, Charleston has historic sites that hit every time period since its founding. The original colonial town has been preserved, pirate prisons are still standing, battles and forts from the Revolutionary War have been marked, plantations have been restored to their former glory, Civil War forts can still be toured, railroads and former warehouses are spread across the town, one can see the remnants of Gilded Age parks, WWII battleships still sit in the Charleston harbor, and mansions from every time period pop up in every corner of the city.
While Charleston may have an official historic district, I believe that such a term is misleading. History is found in every inch of the city. Charleston seems to be the only city (that I've ever seen) that does a perfect job of mingling the modern culture with the past.
One of my favorite pastimes includes taking pictures of Charleston. If you scroll down my blog, off to the side, you'll find some pictures that I took on my outings. Unfortunately, I can't display all my pictures on this blog.
When people find out I write historical fiction, and that I live in Charleston, South Carolina, they automatically assume I write about Charleston. I don't. While I'd love to write about Charleston some day, the truth is that I don't believe I have skills to capture this city on paper. I find that very few writers and authors do, and the ones who have captured it, receive my utmost respect.
What can I say? I'm proud of my Charleston and love this city more than anything.
That mingling that you talk about is what I think keeps me here more than anything else. It's the only city I know where a hybrid car and a horse post still exist on the same street. It is almost as if there is that past history in the air, just beyond the mist that floats up at night.
ReplyDeleteYes, we do still have those horse posts on the streets where cars can roam. That should be our next outing. Let me know when you have a day off, so we can visit Charleston. You're the only one who will allow me take pictures every five seconds :)
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