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The Charleston Museum, one of the oldest in the nation, had its beginnings as a collection of scientific specimens by the Charleston Library Society in 1778. By 1843, the collection had been...Charleston
“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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“C” is for the Charleston Orphan House. In 1790, the Charleston City Council established the Charleston Orphan House, the first public orphanage in America. At the turn of the 19th century, a...Audio
“C” is for Charleston Poorhouse and Hospital. In 1768, the Commons House of Assembly authorized the building of a Poorhouse and Hospital to care for Charleston’s growing population of paupers...Audio
“W” is for Wilson, Robert [1867-1946]. Physician, educator. Wilson graduated from South Carolina College and obtained his medical degree from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina. After...Audio
“D” is for Dunovant, John [1825-1864]. Soldier. Dunovant, a sergeant in the Palmetto Regiment, served with distinction in the Mexican War. He later was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Army. He...Audio
"C" is for Carson, Jane Caroline Petigru.Audio
“P” is for Pinckney, Maria Henrietta [d. 1836]. Writer. The eldest daughter of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Sarah Middleton, Maria Pinckney is notable for writing a defense of nullification...