The downtown Cooper River docks in Charleston. Charleston's harbor fell into disrepair in the early 20th century after neglect by the railroads, which controlled the docks through the Terminal Company. Charleston Mayor John P. Grace bought the waterfront from the railroads after World War I, and persuaded the state legislature to create a Ports Authority in 1942. During World War II, the Navy Yard and the Charleston Shipyard and Dry-dock expanded enormously, providing many jobs, and a new life to Charleston's history as a major port city.
Courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library.
