Charleston, SC: A Video Tour

[Music] Charleston South Carolina is a place that lives and breathes its history from the beautiful houses on the battery to the forts in the harbor to the Ashley River plantations there's truly something different about this place it's like no other city in America when you come to Charleston you feel like you're taken to someplace different it's a living museum and there's such variety and the craftsmanship that was exhibited in the construction of these buildings it's it's remarkable one of the great things about Charleston is that it's an authentic living historic city it's not it's not a museum the real story is found in the walls in the very fabric of the houses in the architecture [Music] in this video we'll begin our visit by learning about the architecture and iconic features of downtown Charleston from the four corners of law to rainbow row from the Ravenel Bridge to a sailing cruise of the harbor we'll see several of the historic churches that have given Charleston its nickname the holy city will visit the fortifications and historic sites that have played a role in Charleston's rich military history we'll go in to several of the most famous historic mansions for a look at the way people have lived here over the centuries we'll visit museums and attractions ranging from the aquarium and children's museum to the city's only visual arts museum and the oldest museum in the nation will see the plantations that define southern life for many visitors from around the country will visit lighthouses and beautiful waterways in the surrounding area and will sample the tasty foods that make Charleston one of America's premier dining destinations come with us now as we explore Charleston the gem of the Lowcountry coast [Music] [Music] you [Music] among the things you'll pass on just about any given street in the historic district are structures known as the Charleston single house single meaning these homes are only one room wide side doors open onto porches usually one stacked atop the other known here as Piazza's the Charleston Piazza is is it's not just for aesthetics it's not just an architectural feature that's meant to be pretty which it is but it's also meant to be functional the Piazza face South our West predominantly because that's in the summertime where the prevailing breezes come from and in the winter time when the breezes are from the opposite direction it provides a sheltered and sunny space on a winter afternoon and so it it functions as a semi outdoor living space transitional between the house and the garden another familiar feature is the earthquake bolt a legacy of the terrible trembler of 1886 metal gear plates on the outside of the homes denote the presence of long metal bolts inside meant to hold the walls together if another earthquake strikes other iron work makes Charleston famous - the beautiful wrought iron representing three centuries of meticulous low country craftsmanship occasionally its menacing like the chevaux DeFries atop the fence at the miles bruton house on King Street but usually it's inspiring and beautiful lending church yards and private homes alike an air of beauty and grace perhaps the most famous and recognizable neighborhood in the city is the battery at the tip of the peninsula the homes here are among the most beautiful in Charleston the battery is the one place in Charleston that even on the hottest day you will find a breeze and so that's part of the attraction other famous neighborhoods include East Bay streets rainbow row where the historic homes wear coats of brightly colored paint and church streets catfish or cabbage row made famous in to boast Hayward's 1925 novel Porgy as you stroll the streets or enjoy a carriage ride be sure to take note of the round plaques that are hung on the Front's of many buildings these are the Kerala Palace plaques awarded by the Preservation Society of Charleston to the owners of buildings that have been preserved restored rehabilitated or are outstanding examples of new construction what we're really seeing when you see that plaque on the building is you're saying that the Preservation Society believes that this was a correct way to do that work and what you see here is what we would like for others to do no trip to Charleston is complete without a stop in the historic City Market a complex comprised of 4 blocks of enclosed and open air stalls and stores here you'll find the iconic sweetgrass basket Weaver's continuing a handicraft handed down over many generations Sierra Leone and Angola and it landed in Mount Pleasant and so the woman's in mum Pleasant used these baskets for work but the man made the larger ones for cultivating rice and storage and for fruits and vegetables and stuff like that head west to King Street and you'll find world-class shopping featuring famous brands and stores of every description the intersection of meeting and Broad streets is often referred to as the four corners of law referring to the federal state local and ecclesiastical law represented on each corner of the intersection on the southeast corner stands historic st. Michael's Church the southwest corner is home to the federal courthouse across the street on the northwest corner stands the Charleston County Courthouse and on the northeast corner is the historic Charleston City Hall visitors are welcome inside you may visit the handsome City Council Chambers hung with portraits of famous South Carolinians from years past and enjoy a small Museum in the basement which features exhibits of artifacts unearthed during archaeological digs in recent years the chamber is lit by sunlight streaming in from the unique round windows there are more foreboding public buildings in this time-worn city including the old county jail which was used continuously for a century and a half this was built in 1802 and was actually used by Charleston County until 1939 and then it lay fallow it sat here for 60 years home mainly to flux of pigeons almost every feature is still in this jail that was used as a jail so when you walk through here you're actually seeing history as it was pandas today this building is home to the American College of the building Arts a small College which teaches liberal arts as well as historic preservation techniques you may go inside for a ghost tour at night visitors are also fascinated by the old slave Mart a place where unfortunately human beings were bought and sold until slavery was ended while this building is unique it's the only building in the south where enslaved people were sold that's still standing so it's a an important part of history and you're actually in the place Charleston is noteworthy for many firsts among them the ornate dock Street Theatre on Church Street the original theater opened in 1736 on this site and it was the first building built for Performing Arts in the United States the building that we're in now was built in 1809 and in the 1930s the theater was put back into the shell of the planters hotel we have today today the dock street theatre remains a working theatre hosting performances by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra the world-famous Spoleto Festival and many other musical and dramatic performances throughout the year among America's great colonial structures is the old exchange and Provost dungeon which stands on East Bay Street facing west down broad 1788 all the eyes of the nation are on this room what's gonna happen here for 200 delegates a meet in debate are they gonna be part of this new form of government that's being debated it's the Constitution they become the 8th state to ratify the Constitution inside the old Exchange Building exhibits inside highlight many periods from Charleston's history in the cellar beneath you'll find exhibits related to pirate activities in Charleston as well as the court of guard the previous building that stood here when Charleston was a fortified city facing Spanish and French attack people always use the word walled but really what they're referring to it was a fortress and you're gonna have bastions you're gonna have guns all the way around the city you're gonna have a drawbridge to limit access as to who comes and who goes it's like a medieval castle on a large scale roughly 70 buildings remain from Charleston's pre-revolutionary days including the powder magazine a National Historic Landmark it's unique vaulted ceiling has an important purpose it's really built to withstand an accidental explosion so it's a rather ingenious design when we consider that the date is early 1700s if a walk in the parks is what you prefer Charleston is sure to please 10-acre Marion square between King and meeting streets north of Calhoun Street is the jewel in the city's crown the park is dominated by a statue perched 80 feet high on a pedestal of prominent 19th century South Carolina statesman john c calhoun here you'll also find the city's Holocaust Memorial a 6,000 square foot monument made of a 17 foot tall stainless steel lattice work in the middle this spread a 16-foot bronze prayer shawl the north side of this green space is fronted by the original home of the Citadel Charleston's Military College today the pink castle-like building is home to a hotel the square also includes a beautiful cast-iron fountain an obelisk honoring Confederate General and South Carolina Governor Wade Hampton and a remnant of the wall of a fortification that protected the city during the American Revolution smaller more understated Washington Square is situated between Charleston City Hall and the South Carolina Historical Society among the several plaques and monuments in this one and a half acre shaded green space are a bust of 19th century poet Henry tamarod and a statue of George Washington 12-acre waterfront park on the eastern edge of the peninsula is Charleston's newest public park it's anchored by two large fountains including one made in the shape of a pineapple and offers relaxing views of the marsh and the Cooper River the most recognizable landmark in modern Charleston may be the Arthur Ravenel jr. bridge a graceful eight lane span stretching two and a half miles and towering 575 feet over the Cooper River the bridges most appealing feature is the pedestrian and bicycle lane which runs the length of the south side it provides a great place for Charlestonians and visitors alike to exercise or sit on one of several benches and enjoy the beautiful sunsets over the peninsula but of course the best way to see Charleston is probably from the water the same way countless Mariners have entered the port city over more than three centuries the schooners pride offers modern-day visitors a chance to enjoy the bridge and the waterfront in a relaxing old-world style and even invites passengers to help hoist the sails themselves if they wish it's very quiet very peaceful no noise just the water the wind and the quietness you really hear nothing I mean it's just a little bit of the water and now we're hearing the birds so that's cool the sunset may be peaceful and relaxing but the cruise still ends with a boom as the pride salutes diners at the popular waterfront restaurant fleet Landing you [Applause] Charleston is known as the holy city because of the many tall church steeples that dominated skyline [Music] the city's oldest congregation is st. Philip's founded in the 1680s as the colony's official parish in the Church of England st. Philip's was originally located on the southeast corner of broad and meeting streets where st. Michael's church sits now but moved to the current location on Church Street in 1723 inside the sanctuary the seats are divided up into walled boxes this served as an interesting means of funding the work of the church if you wanted to join a church you had to rent or buy your pew and so it wasn't discontinued here until January 1st 1944 since 1944 all the pews of free and people can sit wherever they want to visitors enjoy strolling through st. Philip's East and West Church yards which sit on either side of Church Street here many famous and influential Charlestonians are buried the list includes prominent secessionist John C Calhoun Colonel William Rhett who captured Blackbeard's pirate cohort Steve bonnet Edward Rutledge who signed the Declaration of Independence Charles Pinckney a signer of the Constitution and 20th century author DuBose Heyward Charleston's second oldest house of worship is circular Church a Congregational Church founded in 1681 since the services here were known as meetings this church gave modern day meeting Street its name it was the only place where non Anglicans could gather to worship in the early days the current circular structure built in a distinctive style known as Richardson Romanesque dates to 1892 without a doubt the most striking feature of circular Church is its churchyard which is packed with dozens of ornate intricately carved headstones these are the work of stonemasons from New England who carved with an unmatched flourish in attention to detail creating lasting portraits of many of the people who rest here when we congregate on Sundays you can feel the people who have gone before you it's one of the joys of being in our church I think you look around after you've read about them and you know that that what they did to keep this church alive and you can feel the presence at least that's the way I feel as Charleston's population of religious dissenters grew various groups left circular Church to form their own congregations and build their own handsome sanctuaries these include the Unitarian Church on Archdale Street which is known for its beautiful fan vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows and the Gothic Revival French Huguenot church on Church Street near st. Philip's this congregation still conducts one annual service in French Charleston boasts one of the South's oldest Jewish congregations founded in the 1740s the present Greek Revival building on hazel street is the second oldest continuously used synagogue in the nation across the street is st. Mary's Catholic Church the oldest Catholic Church in the Carolinas in Georgia the parish was established in 1789 and the current building constructed in the Classical Revival style in 1839 is graced by beautiful and ornate paintings Charleston's most notable historic african-american church is mother Emanuel AME on Calhoun Street which traces its roots back to the late 1700s the congregation was forced to meet in secret after 1834 when black churches were outlawed in South Carolina it reformed after the Civil War and took the name Immanuel which means God is with us if sadhas says that people were resilient and that they believed that there would be a they had hope that things would be better for them Denmark Vesey the freed slave who is executed in 1822 for plotting a major slave uprising in Charleston was associated with his church a group of four statues in the church's front entrance honors the enslaved people who had faith that one day they would be free you Charleston is a military history buffs paradise full of treasures from the cities more than three centuries of existence Charleston was originally surrounded by fortified walls and was very much a military fortification today a good place to begin your visit is White Point garden at the southern end of the battery right on the waterfront at the tip of the peninsula here you'll find cannons from various periods in Charleston's past as well as the striking 1932 monument to the Confederate defenders of Fort Sumter and a memorial for the sailors who lost their lives aboard the southern submarine HL Hunley two heroes of the American Revolution are immortalized here the second South Carolina regiment memorial in the center walkway bears the likeness of Sergeant William Jasper hero of the 1776 Battle of Charleston a new monument to Jasper's commander in that battle and two terms South Carolina Governor William Moultrie was unveiled here in 2007 Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island bears the hero's name and it's an essential part of any military history tour of Charleston for motivating action from the Revolutionary War all the way up to the end of World War two Edgar Allan Poe was stationed here when he wrote the gold-bug Osceola the Chiefs Seminole he was held prisoner here he's gravesites right out front the women's Armed Forces trained here during World War two just a few days before the Declaration of Independence was signed Patriot forces scored a major victory against the British fleet here the soft Palmetto logs the Americans used as cover absorbed the well-placed British cannon shots and earned South Carolina its proud nickname of the Palmetto State today visitors can literally walk backward in time from the 20th century to the American Revolution all right here at Fort Moultrie the fort's air conditioned Visitor Center also offers a 22 minute film and provides context for the history that visitors will see during their self-guided tour but without a doubt Fort Sumter is Charleston's most famous fortification one of the best parts about a visit to Fort Sumter is the relaxing boat ride over to the fort once inside Fort Sumter the scale of the devastation brought by four years of relentless civil war is obvious the reason that Fort Sumter is really central to your civil war experiences this is where it all began in April of 1861 it's the place where the first shot is fired fired from for Johnson around James Island explodes directly over the playground of Fort Sumter and that's going to signal for all Confederate batteries bearing on Fort Sumter to open fire inside the small museum built in the newer portion of the complex visitors may see the original US flag that was lowered when Union forces initially surrendered the fort to the Confederates in 1861 if Civil War treasures like this are to your liking then definitely take time to visit the confederate museum atop the city market at meeting and market streets inside you'll find wall to ceiling displays of Civil War artifacts letters flags and more the collection even includes the first flag of secession to fly over the US Customs House when South Carolina left the Union as well as the last Confederate flag to fly over Fort Sumter near the end of the war and all of these items are the real thing we've got over 2,000 original artifacts and everything in here is original this is the first Confederate flag that flew at Fort Sumter as you see there are only seven stars because there were only seven states and the Confederacy at that time for a deeper look at Charleston's unique role in the Civil War makes sure to visit the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston where archeologists and conservators continue the long-term work of preserving the Confederate submarine HL Hunley discovered in the late nineteen nine and raised from Charleston Harbor in the year 2000 the submersible is a true original and continues to amaze the experts today well every time we have the ability to actually uncover a feature of the submarine I'm amazed and by the precision work and the skill the skill in casting that skill and putting these things together and water making these compartments watertight and we started this project there was no where there was no roadmap there was no way no one could tell you anywhere in the world how to do it we had to come up with our own way to do it and solve problems the center includes facial reconstructions of the men whose remains were uncovered within the sub as well as an exhibit of one man's personal effects the highlight of this collection is a remarkable gold coin bent by the strike of a musket ball which saved lieutenant George Dixon's life in battle before he joined the Hunley screw the coin is inscribed with a date and name of the battle and the words my life preserver the Hunley facility is open to visitors most weekends but check ahead before you plan your visit military heroes from several more recent conflicts are honored aboard one of Charleston's proudest attractions the world war two aircraft carrier USS Yorktown which anchors a complex called Patriots Point here families enjoy strolling through the big hangar bays below deck and walking between aircraft from the propeller days all the way to the jet and rocket age it's a chance to really walk in the footsteps of heroes it's the men who served in our nation's naval service from World War two through Vietnam there are self-guided tour routes that take visitors through various parts of the ship below decks but for some visitors the most moving part of coming aboard the Yorktown is stepping into its exhibit honoring the men and women who've earned the right to wear our nation's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor if you're in town long enough consider a visit to the Citadel Charleston's historic Military College and yes that's pronounced Citadel not Citadel here you'll find a museum chronicling the college's many decades of existence and the famous leaders who pass through its ranks interesting military displays lined the campuses main parade ground including part of a famous British World War two submarine and an old army missile pointed at the campus of the Citadel's rival school Virginia Military Institute the school's Chapel and bookstore are open to the public but the highlight of any visit to the campus is definitely the weekly Friday dress parades [Music] it's a way for them to really see what we do here and how we're discipline and train and just nice to see his live cannon fire they can see the regimental band and pipes and see our barrier so cadet Ward's that we worked so hard to achieve each year is the commander of the regimental band and pipes and that major Matthew Myers downtown Charleston boasts several historic house museums where you can get an authentic feel for life in the past the joseph manigault house is an a domestic style structure built in 1803 by some of Charleston's wealthiest citizens the Manukau family were French Huguenots that immigrated here in 1685 and they were a family that were very wealthy because of rice plantations considered to be one of the wealthiest in the country you'll enter through the spacious hallway which is large for a Charleston home a break front bookcase made in Massachusetts around 1800 holds man ago family china from the 1820s the room features a spectacular cantilevered staircase which seems to have no means of support an Austrian crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling over the ornate mantel in the hallway hangs a portrait of Joseph Manny goes wife Charlotte Drayton man ago the lady of the house the dining room was the location for lavish early afternoon meals enjoyed by the manna goes and their guests notice the intricate classical detail worked into the plaster in the ceiling corners the furniture in this room is some of the finest anywhere in Charleston the sideboard on the left was signed by its maker the inscription reads Robert Walker 1828 those that steals this is drunken rascal on top sit twin mahogany knife boxes which were made to order just to fit the silver pieces meant to go inside above the fireplace hangs a portrait of Joseph's father Peter man ago and the clock on the mantel is thought to be the same one that's featured in the painting the library across the hall as a room Joseph man ago and study himself a portrait of Joseph as a young man in his 20s hangs in this room according to family tradition musical instruments and indoor games were played in the small room the joining the library the harp in the corner was made in Paris in 1786 upstairs the drawing-room was used for formal entertaining and was resplendent with the finest furniture and most elaborate architectural details for instance the stunning chandelier hanging from the ceiling is composed of more than 2,000 crystals a portrait of Joseph Monaco's mother Elizabeth Ragman ago presides over this room and the jib doors opened onto the porches to allow extra space for entertaining during the warm summer months the adjacent card room offered an intimate space where family members might read take tea or play cards the mahogany table in the middle of the room features satin wood inlay with three oval medallions containing the image of an insect in the bedroom the four poster rice bed is the star the carved posts are decorated with rice stalks the local cash crop in the corner is a small dressing room one of the first examples of such a room in Charleston as you leave take note of the interesting cupboard gateway that provides the entrance to the grounds the gate tempo as we like to call it our garden follies sometimes what it's called it's a popular design in French and English formal gardens again fitting in with that a damask architecture they like the neoclassical and Greek style [Music] nearby at 48 Elizabeth Street stands the stunning aiken-rhett house around 1820 by a wealthy Charleston merchant and later purchased by a family that produced a South Carolina Governor the property was an urban plantation and in addition to the mansion its walls enclose a large area that was once under cultivation two detached wings and back include a carriage house and a stable as well as a large urban slave quarters that fascinates visitors today it replicates what real life was during that time you can feel the life of those who were enslaved and who lived in those quarters the house was owned by members of the family until it became the museum in the 1970s and by then it had been closed up for more than two decades today the historic charleston foundation exhibits the home and as close to its original state as possible bacon red house is conserved it's sort of like a capsule in time all the furnishings there belong to members of the Aiken and the red families so you can feel an aura of family and history just walking in that house guests enter the home via a double flight of marble stairs inside the grand double parlor is so big it was once used to host a reception with 500 guests for Confederate President Jefferson Davis an art gallery exhibits treasures the Aiken family collected during their overseas travels the house also features two Piazza's one on each floor they provide a cooling breeze and a relaxing view of the surrounding neighborhood further south on the peninsula the hayward washington house stands at 87 Church Street it was built in the late 18th century by Colonel Daniel Hayward a wealthy rice planter for his son Thomas Hebert jr. Thomas hailer jr. was one of the four signers of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina and a very prominent Patriot here in Charleston he fought in several bad and commanded a small battalion the city of Charleston leased the home from the Hayward's as lodging for George Washington when he visited the city in May 1791 and that's why it's now referred to as the Hayward Washington House the house was open to the public as the city's first House Museum in 1930 today it's best known for its rare and valuable furniture the houses are filled with period furniture so that people can actually see what types of furnishings would have been available to the Charleston people in the time period the most famous piece in the entire home is the bookcase in the library and it is said to be the finest example of American made furniture ever crafted and it was made in Charleston about 1770 its construction is very special and unique it's got some beautiful woods that were used in it mahogany live oak satin wood and it's got these beautiful serpentine fronts that are done by coopering the doors like you would a barrel upstairs a large drawing-room is richly furnished with a spinet an early keyboard instrument and a variety of furniture including a venetian marble-topped table from Drayton Hall Plantation here to are the bedrooms handsomely appointed with four poster beds outside a formal garden graces the grounds here you'll find a detached kitchen that's older than the main house it dates to 1740 another early 19th century home the Nathaniel Russell house on meeting Street is open for visitors seeking a peek into Charleston's past well the Nathaniel Russell house was built in 1808 by a New England merchant Nathaniel Russell from Bristol Rhode Island he was a merchant he was building the grandest house in Charleston and he succeeded and moved in with his family lived there for 12 years 1808 to 1820 as such we have furnished the house in the period that reflects best the years that he lived there so we translate that house in in his era the personality of the Nathaniel Russel house I think reflects wasn't it exactly what Nathaniel Russell wanted it to reflect it reflects opulence it reflects in intelligence intellect sophistication the use of the finest paints the finest stylings of wood and the architecture the the curves it's sort of the latest in in architecture the furnishings and the collections are very carefully selected many Charleston pieces and also to reflect the very time that Nathaniel Russell and his family lived in the house the one thing that sticks with people is that beautiful spiral staircase that's supported on a cantilevered basis one step holds up the next step it curves all the way to the third floor and beautiful windows and the prettiest view in the whole house to me is standing on the first floor in the middle of that stairwell looking straight up and seeing the staircase go to the third floor the last Historic Charleston home we'll visit is the one with perhaps the best view the 19th century Edmundston Alston house located on the world-famous battery right on the waterfront at the tip of the peninsula at 21 East battery Street I think because the house is on the battery this is really what brings Pete down here it's a great view of the harbor and of course the house being about 90% of the furniture and silver and so forth in the house all belong to the Olson family it's not a museum that's been assembled this is the family's possessions today visitors are impressed by the handsomely appointed rooms that greet them when they enter the front door but the real surprise waits at the top of the stairs I think when they particularly come upstairs these two rooms the the two drawing rooms as soon as they walk into that entre Sol in between them a lot of times they say oh wow and of course that's what the Alston's wanted them to do this was the entertaining rooms the formal rooms in the house a particular interest is the view out the window of the study which faces the water and the historic fortifications in the harbor probably why mr. Edmondson who built it he was a merchant and he would see the ships come and go in and out of the harbor we think that's probably why he bought this lot then and built the house originally but the true payoff awaits when visitors step out onto the upstairs Piazza a spot where Confederate general Beauregard is believed to have launched the opening shots of the Civil War on Fort Sumter in 1861 well we know that general Beauregard did seize a hard mint from this house we're not sure exactly where he stood even if this wasn't the exact spot where the legendary general stood it's not hard to imagine the centuries of history that have slipped past as you stand here enjoying what may be the best view in the city many of Charleston's museums are situated along the museum mile which runs along Meeting Street from the visitor center to the Nathaniel Russell house the charleston museum is located just across Meeting Street from the visitor center it's America's oldest museum founded in 1773 inside the huge skeleton of an Atlantic right whale dominates the entrance hall one of the museum's most popular exhibits is the Christopher T low blind gallery of Charleston silver which features dozens of priceless pieces from colonial days through the Victorian era in the historic textiles gallery you'll find rotating exhibits of clothing and fabrics from various periods of Charleston's history the Kidd story area includes hands-on activities and a child-sized recreation of the historic Heyward Washington House in the early days gallery you'll find relics from the Museum's past including an Egyptian mummy and plaster casts of famous monuments from ancient civilizations the Natural History gallery houses many creatures from around the world including the skeleton of an 18 foot long crocodile the museum boasts a fine collection of artifacts from the Civil War era including artillery shells from the long Union siege of the city the Revolutionary War exhibit features personal items belonging to South Carolina's famous patriot Frances Marion in the armory are exhibited examples of weapons from the 1750s through the 20th century including sabers muskets and pistols the Lowcountry History Hall includes pottery jars rice cultivation tools and the infamous slave badge is used to identify enslaved African Americans there's also a section of the city's old wall dating to the days when Charleston was a fortified colonial city on the opposite side of the visitor center you'll find the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry a must-see for anyone visiting Charleston with children we are geared towards children from six months old all the way up to about 10 the Publix grocery store is very interactive we have carts and baskets for all the children to use the physics room is a lot of balls and ramps we have the rapids where the children can race boats but we also have the Charleston Harbor area which is complete with the lock and dam system that's how the room is good for children anywhere from 6 months old to 3 years old and basically what we have are lots of soft and plush toys for them the art room is all about creation and creativity really it's just a room for the kids to go in and just let their imagination run wild also outside in our back yard area we have a fire truck we have a children's garden which is all organic and children of water all of the plants families also enjoy visiting the South Carolina Aquarium located on Liberty Square on the Cooper River inside exhibits feature the creatures that live in all of the Palmetto States regions from fish to reptiles mammals and birds there's even a rare albino alligator but without a doubt the biggest hit with most visitors is the great ocean tank which is the deepest on the continent 42 feet deep and filled with 385 thousand gallons of seawater the majority of the time when people come in they are just in awe of this exhibit it's amazing and I've been working here for seven years and I never get tired of looking at it and it's a very dynamic tank it represents three different habitats where animals are found off the coast of South Carolina and so we're able to really give a realistic idea of what's happening off of our coast from that exhibit you can even take a trip around the world in the aquarium by visiting the special exhibit about Madagascar inside lives a family of inquisitive ring-tailed lemurs we have a little pop-up window so little kids can go right up in and kind of pop right up and bi-level with the lemurs they come up the lemurs themselves come up and enjoy it just as much it's very fun if you have time schedule a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium sea turtle Hospital where injured Turtles are nursed back to health before being released into wild I say the best part is a transformation from when you get a turtle and you know on death's door you know so skinny I'm in horrible condition and seeing that transition over there time here and being able to finally lease them back into the wild and continue those populations it's amazing to see that transformation unfold if you're a lover of fine art be sure to include the Gibbs Museum of Art in your Charleston visit inside you'll find a large and fascinating collection of works including portraits by well-known eighteenth-century Charleston artist Jeremiah theus what the gibbs provides is a place of orientation the gibbs provides that orientation from the early 18th century all the way up to the present there are also sculptures including a bust of George Washington that reportedly was temporarily buried by its owners to protect it from invading Union soldiers during the Civil War and a beautifully rendered bust of a veiled woman among the Gibbs most noteworthy items are some of its smallest miniatura portraits that were once held dear by their owners they are the precursors to Facebook and to the photograph that many of us would carry in our wallets family members were often apart for very long periods of time and this was the sole way that they could have a memento look up and you'll see another work of art the Gibbs beautiful stained glass dome the domes origin is a mystery there is speculation that Louis Comfort Tiffany had a say in that in the creation of the dome we do know that he came to Charleston he had a couple of commissions here in Charleston and there is speculation now that the dome is actually by Tiffany for many people the very name Charleston conjures up images of Antebellum plantations with huge homes and beautiful gardens these places are found along the Ashley River northwest of downtown all made possible by the rice that was first cultivated here in the early days of the colony rice made South Carolina a lot of people talk about cotton cotton being king but before cotton was king rice was king in South Carolina especially in the low country rice provided the wealth that built great gardens like Middleton place without rice the the leisure class would not have been able to spend time contemplating landscapes like this we'll visit three famous Ashley River plantations the first Drayton Hall was founded in the 1730's and is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation the house which has never been wired for electricity and has no running water is more historical tapestry than time capsule offering an unvarnished unaltered glimpse into the lives of an elite Charleston rice-planting family because Drayton Hall has not been restored to a particular period you'll see changes to the house over time you'll see these changes over time that tell the story of how people have lives change how they are the economy of this plantation owner of the Lowcountry in Charleston fluctuated over time and our cultural tastes evolved all in one little postage stamp here at Drayton Hall this exquisite home was meant to be entered from the Ashley River and is full of exquisite architectural details many tracing their influence directly to the Italian Renaissance architect Andre Opel audio and his famous four books of architecture well I think a visit to Drayton Hall serves as an excellent introduction to Palladian architecture you hear a lot about that in Charleston and also through the throughout the American South in this design that you see on the pond upon this facade of Drayton Hall is without precedent in England inside the house you'll see a would work very carefully carved and you'll see motifs executed in wood and you'll see those motifs executed in plaster in the original ceiling of Drayton Hall that dates to the 1740s at nearby Middleton place which dates from the same period is straighten hall the focus is on the incredible landscape design which is truly one-of-a-kind what's here at Middleton place is an 18th century landscape that has essentially been left alone it's a pleasure garden it was a it was a garden it was meant to be creative and excite the mind and be a pleasurable place to to spend an afternoon here visitors may stroll more than 100 acres of beautifully sculpted gardens and grounds including two lakes that must be seen from above to be truly appreciated down below are these two butterfly lakes that were that were dug out in the shape of butterfly wings and the the Earth from those ponds was used to form terraces and that's a feature that everyone recognizes when they come to Middleton Place Union soldiers destroyed the main plantation house when they passed through in 1865 but the remaining south flanker is definitely worth a visit if for no other reason than the marvelous things contained inside silver furniture paintings and countless other heirlooms from the people who lived here the House Museum is filled with middletonfamily objects it's very unusual for an for a home for a house museum to have such a high percentage of original family objects almost everything you see inside the house belong to the Middleton family much emphasis is placed on the working stable yards at Middleton place here costumed historians labor daily to recreate for visitors the wide variety of activities that took place to make the plantation work it's important to have hands-on interactive activities especially for children they need to be engaged they like to learn using multiple senses so we have costumed interpreters that are not only demonstrating but sometimes invite guests in to help make a pot for instance or or help plant a crop it's it's important to get people involved and feel hands-on magnolia plantation and gardens couldn't be more different from Drayton Hall in Middleton Place Magnolia is one of America's last romantic style gardens the romantic garden was man's attempt at recreating Eden a place where man God in nature and in harmony together you really only do two things in garden design a formal garden controls nature and a romantic garden cooperates with nature and every other garden in the world fall somewhere on the scale between those two here Reverend John Grimke Drayton who inherited the property in the 1840s worked to create a living paradise for his wife who preferred living in faraway Philadelphia after the Civil War Drayton opened up the gardens to visitors creating in the process one of America's first true tourist destinations today Magnolia boasts the largest collection of camellias and azaleas and more varieties than any place else in the nation vibrant blossoms and beautiful bridges are reflected from lakes and ponds scattered throughout the property and the gardens are planted so that no matter what time of year you visit something will be in bloom when you come out here it is you just forget about all your cares when you're walking through the gardens the plethora of color here is just beautiful purples and pinks and whites and yellows just everywhere a tram shuttles visitors from one spot to another within the 120 acre gardens and the house is open to visitors as well inside you'll find rooms interpreting the life of Reverend Drayton as well as the family life that continued here well into the late 20th century magnolia plantation also offers a boat tour of the old flooded rice fields and if there are children in your group be sure to visit the petting zoo located just inside the main entrance all three of the plantations we visited pay careful attention to the often overlooked influence of enslaved african-americans and their descendants without whom none of the fine homes and lovely gardens would even have been possible at Drayton Hall visitors are invited to see a sacred burying place that cemetery we've learned dates to the 1790s making it the oldest documented African American Cemetery in the nation still in use at Middleton place you may step inside a Friedman's cabin informational panels and exhibits tell the story of the origins and lives of the people who were brought here against their will centuries ago and at Magnolia Plantation there is a collection of cabins dating as far back as the 1850s the cabins were lived in up until the 70s by people who were descendants of the original slaves that lived here the interior of each cabin interprets a different period of african-american life here part of a special tour titled from slavery to freedom there's plenty to see and do outside downtown Charleston one of the most popular places to visit is Charlestown Landing State Historic Site on the location where the colony was originally founded we like to call Charlestown landing State Historic Site the birthplace of South Carolina in the year 1670 colonists from England established the first permanent European settlement in what is now South Carolina here on what they called Albemarle Point today a museum and visitor center exhibits archaeological discoveries made on the site and tells the story of the Native American allies who helped the early colony succeed miles of trails line Charlestown Landing and lead the way past the adventure to a replica of a colonial sailing ship a recreation of the palisade wall and cannon platforms that protected the colonists from Spanish attack and a garden full of the experimental plant settlers grew during the early days of the colony the animal forest a natural habitat zoo introduces visitors to bears deer bison and other creatures that would have been familiar to colonists centuries ago on picturesque Wadmalaw Island southwest of the city you'll find the Charleston tea plantation a 127 acre working tea plantation and factory which produces American classic tea you can take a trolley tour around the grounds then visit the factory where the tea is processed and packaged nearby on John's Island stands the angel oak a massive oak tree estimated to be more than 500 years old Charleston boasts several beaches in beachside towns including folly beach which is frequently packed with surfers off the northern end of the island stands the Morris Island lighthouse which is protected by a metal and concrete coffer dam a group of concerned citizens banded together to save the historic structure after man-made changes in local waterways caused the surrounding Island to wash away when it was built it was 2,000 feet inland and with the construction of a Charleston Harbor jetties in the late 1800s it began an erosion process that now has the lighthouse as you can see about a quarter mile offshore the modern-day replacement for the Morris Island light stands on the other side of the harbor on Sullivan's Island this aluminum sided mid-century modern structure is the only lighthouse in the country with an elevator inside the traditional lighthouses are round this one is in triangular shape it was supposed to withstand a category 5 hurricane you don't have to go far outside Charleston proper to find natural beauty and fun things to do Shem Creek located across the Ravenel Bridge just east of town is crowded with bars and seafood restaurants walk to the end of the municipal boardwalk and you can watch swim boats come in for the day with dolphins and pelicans alongside Charleston is famous for more than architectural history and natural beauty people also come here to enjoy some of the best food in the country the seafood is top-notch particularly the famous she-crab soup and 82 Queen on Queen Street is one of the best places to try it that's the best part really you get local seafood local catches in pretty much mostly year I mean really she crab soup shrimp and grits some sort of fried seafood is really like a southern staple on any given day at all hours you'll see folks lined up to get inside Hyman seafood on Meeting Street and we've been operating a business in the same location since 1890 every year we we serve at least 400 to 500 thousand wonderful people every year this shrimp and grits as I call it shrimp and grits on turbocharge it's called the Carolina delight it's unbelievable up the street you'll also find lines outside Justine's kitchen where they serve some of the best home-cooked southern food around the pecan-crusted chicken is delicious but if you want a relaxing break from the crowds and streets of downtown Charleston just drive over the bridge to Shem Creek to the laid-back seafood restaurant called the wreck of the Richard and Charlene it's named after a fishing boat that wrecked here during Hurricane Hugo we serve seafood exclusively local local seafoods and we serve it in a fashion that has been the style here in Charleston Low Country for many many years this is the freshest seafood you're gonna be able to get the wreck is also one of the best places in Charleston to watch the gorgeous Low Country sunset and wrap up a wonderful Charleston day [Music]

Channel: Michael Jordan

Views: 348,171

Rating: 4.874939 out of 5

Keywords: charleston, history, museums, plantations, forts

Id: kB7aT_kiXFY

Length: 59min 33sec (3573 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 14 2018