Charles Barker Nixon, an itinerate magician who once styled himself “the Slippery Man,” came to Charleston in the summer of 1876 to present the most elaborate and dangerous illusion of his career. Over the course of a few weeks, this flamboyant...

You’ve probably heard by now that on June 19th, 2018, Charleston’s City Council adopted a resolution “recognizing, denouncing, and apologizing on behalf of the City of Charleston for the city’s role in regulating, supporting, and fostering” the...

It’s that time of year when people across the United States celebrate Independence Day on the fourth day of July, the anniversary of our nation’s Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. All across America, the Fourth of July means fireworks...

Today we’re going to travel back in Lowcountry history to explore the genesis and legacy of a public holiday called “Carolina Day.” Celebrated on the 28th of June every year since 1777, Carolina Day commemorates an important battle that took place...

Today I’m going to continue a thread that I started a few weeks ago (see the episode published on May 18th, 2018), concerning the early history of Charleston’s police department, which was known simply as “the watch” in the city’s first century of...

After a century of human- and horse-powered ferry boats carrying passengers across the Cooper River, the arrival of steam power signaled a sea-change in our sense of mobility. The convenience provided by fast and powerful steam ferries fueled the...

Have you recently experienced some frustration with your daily Lowcountry commute? Do you find yourself wishing for an alternative to the gridlock that is crippling our local highways? If so, then I’ve got a story for you. In the past, Charleston...

This is National Police Week, a time when our nation reflects on the value of our professional peace keepers and remembers those who have fallen in the line of duty.  If you have an inquisitive sort of mind, you might have wondered how this...

Today we’re going to conclude our short series about the beginning of the American Revolution in South Carolina by looking closely at the theft of government-owned weapons and gunpowder in Charleston in April 1775. This crime (actually three...

I’d like to introduce you to a short-lived, local organization that you’ve probably never heard of. The Emigrant Society, or, more properly, the "South Carolina Society for the information and assistance of persons emigrating from other countries,”...