Charleston History

This picturesque Southern Carolina port was founded in 1670, and is enriched in history through its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum homes. History, flavors, sights, sounds, and traditions are what make up Charleston's heart and soul. Charleston is one of the oldest cities in America, and is one of the cities that stands in all its unique glory as a testament to American history. History comes alive in the narrow cobbled streets that open up to the sea, where many landmarks and monuments lie along the coastline.

CHARLESTON INTERESTING FACTS

• Edgar Allan Poe was deeply moved by his time spent in Charleston, so he felt inspired to set his 1843 story The Gold-Bug, one of his most celebrated tales, on and around Sullivan’s Island.
• Charleston was the wealthiest and fourth largest city in colonial America.
• Charleston is home to the first golf club in America, which was established in 1787.
• Visit The Angel Oak, one of the oldest trees in the country (estimated to be 500 years old and counting), located on Johns Island.
• Charleston houses the first public college, museum, and playhouse in the United States.
• Many US Presidents including George Washington, James Monroe, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Franklin D. Roosevelt have spent some time in Charleston.
• Charleston is home to Spoleto, the over the top art & cultural festival.