Trip Day: 28 Latitude: 32°47.35' N Locks Today: 0
Miles Today: 0 Longitude: 079°55.47' W Locks Total: 6
Total Miles: 746 Location: Charleston, SC
Today we walked for five hours up and down tree-lined streets of graceful homes from the past. We strolled through the park at The Battery, then took photos of the SOB (South of Broad) homes, the most desirable and expensive homes of the wealthy plantation owners who built Charleston into a cultural Southern city. We toured the Calhoun Mansion and the Nathaniel Russell Museum.
16 Meeting Street: The Calhoun Mansion, built in 1876, is 24,000 sq. ft. and has 35 rooms and 35 fireplaces. It is the largest single family residence in Charleston. The magnificent gardens were delightful, but the interior space was filled with collectibles from around the world by the current owner and not true to the Charleston period, which we did not find appealing. 
The Battery is on the tip of the peninsula where Ashley and Cooper Rivers join. The waterfront homes (SOB) are in the most desirable location, south of Broad Street. The monument is dedicated to the defenders of Fort Moultrie in June of 1776.
The Nathaniel Russell House is a beautiful example of how a wealthy Charleston merchant would have lived in the early 1800s. The elaborate woodwork and plaster have been restored and the interior is true to the period with wonderful furniture built in Charleston.
One of the highlights of the day was visiting the cemetary at St. Michael's Church on Meeting Street. It is for the final resting placeof Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1947-1825) who was a lawyer and Govenor of South Carolina and signer of the U.S. Constitution. There were many family plots and gravestones from the 1700s - the people who built Charleston.
By far the most common architectural style is called The Charleston Single House. This style home is only one room wide with two-story verandas, called piazzas in Charleston, stretched down the long side. The front door opens onto the first floor piazza, not inside the house. This style home was for the common man, not the wealthy merchants and plantation owners. This achitectural style fit narrow lots and provided great cross ventilation for the hot summers.
The small parks, fountains, gates and private gardens were some of the most picturesque scenes of the day.
We have ridden on the cruise boat, on the water taxi, on the trolley and walked for MILES—we have done Charleston! We cast off from the Maritime Center tomorrow morning for a day of travel.
For those interested in more Charleston scenes, the slide show is Act II.
Another excellent chronicle by our wandering sailors (or should I say Sailors?) That shot of the staircase is outstanding.
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