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rockville
The annual Rockville Regatta on Aug. 7-8 will bring thousands of sun-bathing,partying onlookers aboard a flotilla of power boats to watch sailboat races along Bohicket Creek, a far cry from the inaugural event 120 years ago. The first race in 1890 involved a handful of boats, with a small audience of well-dressed ladies and gents observing from shaded banks of the creek.
charleston underground
People are often surprised to find out, considering how close Charleston is to the sea, that many downtown houses have full cellars. The historic peninsula has several distinct low ridges that provide ample space from the water table, and along these are underground spaces with a colorful past. Under the Old Exchange, for example, is a vaulted brick cellar built before the Revolution as a storage area for imported goods unloaded from nearby wharves. During the Revolution, the British captured Charleston, and used the Exchange cellar to “store” more than sixty patriots, including two signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Lion Heads, Stars and Rosettes...
Charles Towne, founded in 1670, was originally located on the west end of the Ashley River. Finding itself as an easy target of foreign invaders, colonists relocated the city to its current location at Oyster Point only 10 years after its original establishment. While the move aided in the protection of foreign invasions, it didn’t fend off unforeseen attacks below.
Home and business owners made these bolts more aesthetically pleasing by placing shapes on top of the bolts, such as lion heads, stars, rosettes or even using stucco material. Architects argue that the possibility of a future earthquake can be the only determining factor as to whether or not these bolts are actually beneficial. While this practice may seem one of the past, businesses, such as the Charleston Cigar Factory, continue to incorporate the design into recent renovations. Regardless, the bolts remain a staple of traditional Charleston architecture, and are still easily admired on many historical buildings.
Ten Free Fun Things to Do in Charleston, SC
overlooking the Cooper River and harbors. The bridge satisfies runners, walkers, bikers and those who simply want a breathtaking view.
joggling boards
One of Chareston's charming eccentricities is the "joggling board" a 6-8 foot section of wide yellow pine board that is pegged on eitgher end to wooden rockers. The lengthy contraption is said to have originated in the city back in the early 1800's, when an elderly invalid named Mrs. Huger was told that she could restore some of her health with regular mobility and exercise. Someone supposedly came up with the idea of a bouncing, rocking device that would provide the stimulus necessary. Whether Mrs. Huger ever took to the board is not known, but generations of other Charlestonians have ever since.
The joggling board is commonly found in yards and along piazzas, where it is ostensibly a conversation piece and children's plaything, but all any adult needs to do is put backside on board, and they'll be hooked – especailly with a glass of wine in hand. It's a pleasantly relaxing ride on a wodden perch that will not break, as the pliable yellow pine has been known to bounce with five or six adults riding.
Another old story about the joggling board is that it was favored by courting adults during prudish eras of yesteryear, when young gentlemen and ladies were not supposed to touch or hold hands during the intial stages of getting to know each other. the joggling board, which bends and sags in the middle, naturally pushes people from each side into the center, where they will end up touching, like it or not.
Strangers Fever
Several historic graveyards in Charleston feature areas and stones marked by the term "strangers", referrring to visitors from other areas of the world who flocked to the city in colonial and anteellum era for business and pleasure. Charleston was the fourth largest city in America in 1800, and richest per capita, so business people came from as far as London, Liverpoo, Boston and New York. Riches also brought such pleasantries as thoroughbred horse-racing and international stars for local Charleston theater, which further attracted people from other parts of the world. Typically, they were not accustomed to Charleston's sub-tropical climate, which in the 18th and 19th century could be lethal with yellow fever. Charlestonians usually developed an immunity to this disease if they lived past age 13 or 14, but for many strangers, a visit sometimes was the end of the road, and so many died that yellow fever was nicknamed stranger's fever.
Cooper River Bridge Run
The 2010 version of the Cooper River Bridge run attracted 38,000 participants to run, shuffle and walk across the massive cable-stay span. Only a few hundred ran back in 1978 when the event was begun, and today it is considered among the most prestigious road races in America, drawing international running stars to compete. For most of its history, the run was made across the 1929 John Grace bridge, which was finally replaced by the present bridge in 2003. The Grace bridge was only built wide enough for two cars(1920's size), which made the old run an often clustrophobic affair over the former twin-cantilevered span. Despite the fact that the Ravenel bridge's eight lanes are more commodious, the ascending grade up to the 150-foot high roadbed above Charleston's harbor channel is longer and steeper, so the callenge is a little greater, and for most, the only reward is a t-shirt or a hat at the end of the run.
The idea of many moving bodies struggling to cross a crammed Charleston bridge actually predates the first bridge run by almost 60 years, although the ending the was very similar. In 1918, cattle being driven across the old swing-span Ashley River bridge stampeded into the city, crashing there way down into the commercial area where a few wandered into garment shops and grazed on flower-laden ladies hats. So it seems the cows and runners both ended their prospective runs with essentially the same prize.
Zig Zag Alley
Historic Zig Zag Alley has caused quite a bit of confusion in old Charleston over the years, as historians differ on the origin of its name. The name first appears in city directories in the early 1800's, and presumably came from the winding direction of the little lane off Atlantic Street. At the time, however, there were a number of seamstress businesses located on the alley, and by the early 1800's they were using a very popular means of hemming called the Zig Zag stitch. Adding to the confusion today is the fact that the city of Charleston has removed the old Zig Zag Alley sign, and a sidewalk plate lists the alley as Lightwood Street. Lightwood's Alley was actually prependicular to Zig Zag Alley, and down in the next block, so the current plate is wrong in name and location. Such is the nature of Charleston, where local families have answered inquiries for directories over the years by saying, "you can't get there from here".
CLAY TILE ROOFS
Many of downtown Charleston's historic homes feature beautiful clay tile roof shingles, that besides being very attractive, afford a cooling method for the entire house. This fashion dates back to colonial tims, when local clays were kiln-baked inside molded patterns that are distinctive by their undulating surface. This uneven, yet symmetrical surface deflects the sun's rays much more effectively than flat tiles, preventing the absorbing of heat during hot hours of the day. Typically these tiles have a thin patina of tar or pitch to prevent water intrusion, and the rounded surfaces patterns allow for passage of air through the roof top, adding to the cooling effect.
Some of the most attractive clay tile roof tops can be found along Tradd Street, in the heart of the historic district, which still boasts the largest concentration of pre-Revolutionary houses in America, with more than 50 on this one graceful street alone.
festival of houses and gardens
The Historic Charleston Foundation offers a tantalizing look at some of America's finest architecture, interiors and gardens with its 63rd annual FEstival of Houses and Gardens, from March 18 to April 17. This event is especially popular for the rare opportunity to tour Charleston's historic private homes, and the festival will feature dozens of locations in a variety of historic neighborhoods. Exquisite details in woodwork, iron, plaster, brick, and wall coverings dating from the 18th and 19 th centuries will offer fabulous backdrops to mansions brimming with crystal chandeliers, 12-foot ceilings, marble mantels, cypress paneling, and parquet floors. One of the most interesting ingterior styles is the "side-hall" house popular among wealthy Charlestonians in the 1840's and 50's, featuring massive arched doorways between ballrooms that can be opened to make the entire floor en suite.
The formal gardens have long been a major attraction for visitors to Charleston, and with the guidance of foundation docents, people can learn about the varieties of blooming species and their origins. People may be surprised to find out, for example, that our famed camellias, azaleas, and even our Confederate Jasmine come from Asia. Expert gardeners came to Charleston from England and France during the city's historic heyday to plan formal gardens for the enjoyment of downtown residents, and that enjoyment is available for the price of a tour ticket today.
