“Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state.” Situated in the Lowcountry, the county serves as a popular vacation destination but also relies on the business that results from its port. The area in general serves as a large cultural and economic hub for the state.
Charleston County was founded as Charleston District in 1769, and the district became smaller after some of its lands were used to create Colleton and Berkeley counties. The county and its seat were named after King Charles II.
The city and county are saturated with Revolutionary War and Civil War history. Three signers of the United States Constitution and two famous abolitionists resided in Charleston County, and the Civil War began when soldiers fired shots from the county’s Fort Sumter.
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This ancient Egyptian cat case may have at one point housed a mummified cat. It is constructed out of bronze and dates back to Egypt's Ptolemaic era - around 300 B.C.
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The full Eremotherium Giant Ground Sloth skeleton on display at the Charleston Museum.
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April 12 marks the anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War, in Charleston, S.C. in 1861. South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union, in December 1860. Fearing a...
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Susan Pringle Frost, a Charleston native and suffragette, founded the Preservation Society of Charleston in 1920 to save the city's historic buildings after learning the Manigault House was to become...
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Dawn Corley, known as the "Charleston Silver Lady," is a renowned silver expert who has lectured internationally and been featured in magazines and TV shows for her knowledge of antique jewelry. Her...
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The combination of seafood like fish or shrimp with grits has its origins in Charleston, South Carolina. Grits, an ancient staple, predate European conquest, African enslavement, and the founding of...
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In 1685, John Thurber, a pirate, inadvertently introduced rice to America. After a storm damaged his ship, he stopped in Charleston, SC, where he met Dr. Henry Woodward. In exchange for assistance...
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Discover the history of Hoppin' John, a beloved dish that's graced holiday tables since the 1800s. This simple yet delicious combo of peas, pork, and rice is believed to bring luck and peace for the...
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Did you know that a Black sailor once served on the ill-fated Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley? Shortly after the Hunley's arrival in Charleston, South Carolina, Lieutenant John Payne of the...
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American author Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe solidified his legacy as master of the gothic and macabre with his poems and short stories, and was one of...
