WHEN: December 1, 2012
WHERE: South Of Broad (Charleston, SC)
Charleston.
I love so much about Charleston. But perhaps my most favorite part of it is downtown. Within downtown, at the end of the peninsula, is an area known as "South of Broad". This (mostly) residential district is composed of large, historic homes, cobblestone streets, elegant courtyards, and horse-drawn carriages on every other street corner. Even after living here for over two years and visiting downtown dozens of times, it is still overwhelming to walk the streets and try to take in all the beauty and history competing for your attention. It's a photographers dream (or nightmare, depending on how you look at it). Where to even begin? How to capture it all? It seems impossible.
Yet that is what I set out to do the past two Saturdays.
Christmas has become my favorite time to visit downtown. There is never a bad time to visit, but something about the ambiance in December is unparalleled throughout the rest of the year. The history that is embedded in the cityscape seems to come alive more tangibly during the festive weeks of December.
I thought that now was as good a time as any to head downtown, South of Broad, and go crazy with my camera, trying to capture as much of the scene as possible. I spent 4 hours down there the first Saturday (December 1) and 5 1/2 hours last Saturday. You would think 9.5 hours would be more than enough time to take pictures. I probably thought the same thing as well. But as the map below shows, I have only made a dent, and that's only for the South of Broad district.
I drew up this map to highlight what and where I took photographs the past two weeks (and how much I have left to photograph).
South of Broad is highlighted in pink. The area I intended on photographing this month is outlined in red (everything south of Broad St. and east of King St.). The green and blue areas represent the area I photographed the first and second Saturday, respectively. There is still a section within the red outline that I have yet to photograph, which will likely not get done until after Christmas.
While my original intent was to go down and document/capture every house, that became overwhelming quickly and I, instead, captured as much as I could of what I thought were the highlights (with a little Christmas and artistic flare thrown in). There is simply just too much to see and photograph in this district, not to mention the dozens upon dozens of courtyards that the public cannot access. I tried my best and what's below is my best effort to capture what I could in 4 hours that first Saturday.
A little soundtrack for this post
A little soundtrack for this post
The Ravenel Bridge, with downtown Charleston in the background ("under" the bridge).
The most famous part of South of Broad (and likely the city) is the houses on East Battery St. (known simply as The Battery). These houses were built between the early-to-late 1800s and many witnessed (and suffered damage from) the Civil War, which began on April 12, 1861 in the very harbor they overlook.
Capt. James Misroon House (c. 1789) across the street from The Battery
The Missroon House is the headquarters of the Historic Charleston Foundation, founded in 1947 to preserve the architecture, history, and culture of Charleston.
The following 9 homes make up part of what is known as The Battery
2 Water St. (c. 1810)
31 East Battery St. (c. 1836) - aka Zero Water Street (a bed and breakfast)
The Louis DeSaussure House, remodeled in 2011, has an unparalleled view of Charleston Harbor, at the corner of East Battery and South Battery streets.
A great place to catch some shade in the summer
I love the trees in the park
There is no shortage of history here either, including the hanging of the famous "Gentleman Pirate" (Stede Bonnet) in 1718.
6 Church St.
The driveway at 6 Church St.
18 Church St. (c. 1780s)
Plaque on the wall outside the house
Another view of 18 Church St.
The iron gatework outside 20 Church St.
A brick and stucco wall with iron gate across the street at 19 Church St.
A brick and stucco wall with iron gate across the street at 19 Church St.
Many of the streets are marked not only by contemporary street signs, but by embedded metal markers in the sidewalks.
Doesn't this house look like something out of a Halloween movie?
A brick wall along Atlantic St.
Entrance to 10 Atlantic St.
As much as there is to see looking up, there is interesting architecture underneath your feet as well. This is not to mention the fort walls and other historic architecture buried beneath the ground that archaeologists continue to unearth every year.
5 Atlantic St. (c. 1891)
3 Atlantic St. (c. 1803)
2 Atlantic St.
I couldn't decide what edit of this picture I liked the best, so I chose them all. Even though it's December, flowers are in bloom everywhere downtown.
This little, hidden alley off Atlantic St. is called Lightwood St...
...or ZigZag Alley, depending on which marker you go by.
Another brick wall along the alley. It's these inconspicuous passages in downtown that contain some of the most surprising views
I loved this little lone tree with its red leaves, standing out in stark contrast to all the surrounding greenery.
I spent awhile photographing it and could have spent much longer.
Standing at the dead end of the alley
Shy palm?
In your face palms?
Such beautiful architecture and accents on this home (21 Atlantic St.)
It is hard to see in this picture but a Christmas tree, lights, and decorations filled the bottom three windows of this house along Meeting St. One of the many reasons I love Christmas in downtown.
A private carriage ride along Meeting St.
This house (17 Meeting St.) was one of the favorites of my sister-in-law during their visit last month, as seen in my previous post.
This is the side yard of the same house. The grass doesn't even look real.
And this is the door of the same house
The door of 18 Meeting St. (c. 1803) - aka Thomas Heyward House
I could do a post just on the elegant doors of downtown Charleston. Many more doors are highlighted throughout this post.
I could do a post just on the elegant doors of downtown Charleston. Many more doors are highlighted throughout this post.
The Calhoun Mansion is the largest private residence in Charleston (24,000 square feet), and the house is also open for daily tours. The mansion boasts 35 rooms, 23 bathrooms, and a 75ft. open staircase (see photo gallery).
Front terrace of the mansion
Side view of the mansion, which continues well beyond the view of this picture
15 Meeting St. (c. 1770)
The front door of 15 Meeting St.
The front door of 15 Meeting St.
Not your typical driveway and garage
A row of Charleston single houses, the dominant architectural type of houses in downtown Charleston.
(23, 25, and 27 Meeting St. - two on the left were built in 1750, the other in 1780.)
(23, 25, and 27 Meeting St. - two on the left were built in 1750, the other in 1780.)
It may be an optical illusion that the car is wider than the house here, but then again this style of architecture produces very narrow (though deep) houses.
Front door of 12 Meeting St.
7 Meeting St. (c. 1785) - aka Josiah Smith House
Front door of 7 Meeting St.
This bee landed on the flower just as I was getting ready to snap this picture.
Brick wall flanking the front of 7 Meeting St.
(Steph, you may recognize this as the wall we took your pictures in front of. Want to know what we were missing behind the wall?)...
(Steph, you may recognize this as the wall we took your pictures in front of. Want to know what we were missing behind the wall?)...
This.
It's too bad so much of downtown is hidden, because these landscaped gardens and courtyards are everywhere, just waiting to be seen and appreciated.
It's too bad so much of downtown is hidden, because these landscaped gardens and courtyards are everywhere, just waiting to be seen and appreciated.
8 Meeting St. (c. 1783) - aka Tucker-Ladson House
A carriage outside the beautiful 2 Meeting St. Inn (1892) I did not take a picture of this house/inn this day.
(Picture I took in April 2009. This is a great video produced for the inn.)
So much history in these names
(For a list of homes by street, see this page from the Charleston County Public Library.)
The following are homes found along South Battery
(Picture I took in April 2009. This is a great video produced for the inn.)
So much history in these names
(For a list of homes by street, see this page from the Charleston County Public Library.)
The following are homes found along South Battery
The door at 1 Meeting St. (c. 1846)
A flower outside the house
And a look into the courtyard behind the inn
Is it fall?
Or spring?
Need privacy from neighbors? Not gonna get it here.
Left and right, respectively...26 South Battery (c. 1853) and 24 South Battery St. (c. 1790)
The front door of 26 South Battery St.
Left and right, respectively...26 South Battery (c. 1853) and 24 South Battery St. (c. 1790)
The front door of 26 South Battery St.
Homes along South Battery St.
LEFT: 28 South Battery St. (c. 1860)
RIGHT: 26 South Battery St. (c. 1853)
LEFT: 28 South Battery St. (c. 1860)
RIGHT: 26 South Battery St. (c. 1853)
11 King St.
10 King St. (c. 1800) - aka Ingraham-Forrest House
Plaque on the wall outside the house
11 Lamboll St.
19 King St.
Horse-drawn carriages are a dime a dozen downtown, but this large, beautiful horse caught my attention.
Fitting, as it was standing in front of a magnificent house I never recall seeing before, until this day...
...that being the house at 21 King St. (c. 1856) - aka Patrick O'Donnell House
Even for all the homes I have seen in downtown Charleston, few match the grandeur of this one. In fact, the owner (Patrick O'Donnell) took so long to build it (for his fiancee) that she left him for another man. Consequently, the house became known as O'Donnell's Folly.
Original carriage stepping stone in front of the house, with the amazing front door in the background.
This is the 3-car, detached garage belonging to the house
Look at those piazzas! Pick a floor, take your pick.
You can pan around this Google street view to get another view of the house.
You can pan around this Google street view to get another view of the house.
27 King St. (c. 1769) - aka Miles Brewton House
This house served as headquarters for the British in Charleston in the 1780's during the Revolutionary War.
This house served as headquarters for the British in Charleston in the 1780's during the Revolutionary War.
Plaque on the wall outside the house
The front door of the house
7 Ladson St.
The gate to the driveway of 7 Ladson St.
The ironwork in downtown...that's another post for another time as well
It's amazing
It's everywhere
35 Meeting St. (c. 1720) - aka William Bull's House
This is one of the oldest homes in downtown Charleston.
This is one of the oldest homes in downtown Charleston.
Plaque on the wall outside the house
34 Meeting St. (c. 1760) - aka Daniel Elliot Huger House
Plaque on the wall outside the house
36 Meeting St. (c. 1740)
Plaque on the wall outside the house
37 Meeting St. (c. 1760) - aka James Simmons House
As you can read on the plaque below, this house served as the executive headquarters for the confederates during the Civil War.
As you can read on the plaque below, this house served as the executive headquarters for the confederates during the Civil War.
Plaque on the wall outside the house
After 4 hours of taking pictures, I had exhausted both of my camera batteries. It was getting close to sunset but I was still intent on taking pictures. But with no battery and Stacie waiting patiently at home, it was time for me to call week 1 complete.
I really enjoyed the time I spent down there - taking in the sights and festive decor, hearing the echoing of horse steps through the narrow streets, hearing the ringing of 200 year-old church bells, enjoying the warm weather we have been having, and not having to drag anyone (Stacie) along with me. I don't think I could ever get bored of being downtown. There is always something new to see, new to photograph. I have made a decent dent in building my photo library of downtown these past two weeks, but I am no where near finished. Maybe in a few more years I will be satisfied...I doubt it.
If this was too long and boring for you, you may not be interested in the post about week 2. It's more of the same. More hours (4 the first week, 5.5 the second week), more pictures (427 the first week, 702 the second week), more houses, more plaques, more Charleston.
I really enjoyed the time I spent down there - taking in the sights and festive decor, hearing the echoing of horse steps through the narrow streets, hearing the ringing of 200 year-old church bells, enjoying the warm weather we have been having, and not having to drag anyone (Stacie) along with me. I don't think I could ever get bored of being downtown. There is always something new to see, new to photograph. I have made a decent dent in building my photo library of downtown these past two weeks, but I am no where near finished. Maybe in a few more years I will be satisfied...I doubt it.
If this was too long and boring for you, you may not be interested in the post about week 2. It's more of the same. More hours (4 the first week, 5.5 the second week), more pictures (427 the first week, 702 the second week), more houses, more plaques, more Charleston.
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