Mail Service in Colonial-Era Charleston

Mail Service in Colonial-Era Charleston

April 13, 2018

Long before the invention of email, and long before the advent of the U.S. Postal Service, how did the people of early Charleston exchange letters and news with other towns, other colonies, and across the Atlantic Ocean? And how long did it take t...

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Bicycling the Ashley River Bridge in 1897

Bicycling the Ashley River Bridge in 1897

April 6, 2018

Today I’d like to highlight a story that demonstrates the relevance of history in our present lives. In recent years, there has been much talk in Charleston about the need for a bicycle-friendly path across the Ashley River. A plan to convert one ...

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10 Progressive Women of Early 20th Century Charleston

10 Progressive Women of Early 20th Century Charleston

March 30, 2018

March is Women’s History Month, and, in honor of this annual event, I’d like to profile some of the most progressive women of early twentieth century Charleston. A century ago, this community was just beginning to emerge from a social, economic, a...

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The Charleston Emigrant Society of 1795

The Charleston Emigrant Society of 1795

March 22, 2018

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,...

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James Hoban’s Charleston Home

James Hoban’s Charleston Home

March 16, 2018

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This is the time of year when we celebrate the feast day of Ireland’s patron saint and, at least in the United States, generally revel in all things Irish. In honor of this annual celebration, I’d like to focus the spotli...

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Charles Town’s Growing Pains

Charles Town’s Growing Pains

March 9, 2018

Recently I was sitting in Council Chambers at Charleston’s City Hall, admiring the many historical paintings that adorn the dark, paneled walls, and my attention fixed on a marble slab that displays the names and dates of service for each of Charl...

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The South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1868

The South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1868

March 2, 2018

Today I’d like to draw your attention to the 150th anniversary of an important event in the history of Charleston, and the history of South Carolina in general. During a two-month period in the late winter of 1868, elected delegates from every cor...

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Denmark Vesey

Denmark Vesey's Winning Lottery Ticket

February 23, 2018

 I’m feeling lucky today. I’m going to take a chance and attempt to draw your attention to the historical intersection of three entirely separate but related topics: Denmark Vesey, lotteries, and Charleston’s iconic “High Battery” seawall. I’m not...

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Remembering Rhettsbury

Remembering Rhettsbury

February 16, 2018

One of Charleston’s least-remembered eighteenth-century neighborhoods was a suburban plantation known as “The Point,” then “Rhett’s Point” or “Rhettsbury,” and later, “Trott’s Point.” This tract, which encompassed approximately thirty-five acres b...

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George Washington in Charleston, 1791

George Washington in Charleston, 1791

February 9, 2018

It’s February, and President’s Day is just around the corner. This Federal holiday has officially existed since 1885, but it actually has much deeper roots. During the era of South Carolina’s colonial attachment to Great Britain, we routinely cele...

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