Page 256 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

254  THE SOUTHEAST

South Carolina fountain, stands across from the
popular restau rant row. Visitors
After separating from its sibling North Carolina in 1729, the can explore the cobblestone
South Carolina colony spread Upcountry, where Welsh, Irish, alleyways in search of hidden
and Scottish immigrants established small owner-operated gardens, gargoyles, and harbor
farms, in sharp contrast to the Lowcountry gentry. By the views. To the west of Waterfront
Park, the Gibbes Museum of Art
1860s, however, the differences between the two had reveals local history through land­
subsided and a unified South Carolina became the first scape paintings and portraits of
Southern state to declare independence from the Union. famous South Carolinians.
Soon after, the first shot of the American Civil War was fired
at Fort Sumter. Today, the state’s “glory days” of resistance P Heyward-Washington House
87 Church St. Tel (843) 722­2996.
and revolution are re-created at plantations, museums, and Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, noon–
monuments. Many visitors, however, head straight for the 5pm Sun. & Closed major public
miles of beaches. hols. ∑ charlestonmuseum.org
P Edmondston-Alston House
9 Charleston 21 E Battery. Tel (843) 722­7171. Open
10am–4:30pm Tue–Sat, 1–4:30pm
* 130,000. ~ £ @
n 375 Meeting St, (843) 853­8000. Sun–Mon. Closed major public hols.
_ Spoleto Festival (late May–early & ∑ edmondalston.com
Jun). ∑ charlestoncvb.com E Gibbes Museum of Art
135 Meeting St. Tel (843) 722­2706.
One of the south’s most beautiful Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, 1–5pm
cities and South Carolina’s first Sun. Closed major public hols. & 7
capital, Charleston is situated on ∑ gibbesmuseum.org
the tip of a peninsula between
the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. The charming 1772 Heyward-  South Carolina Aquarium
Named after King Charles II of Washington House 100 Aquarium Wharf. Tel (843) 720­
England, the city was founded 1990. Open Mar–Aug: 9am–5pm
in 1670 and soon became a A trip south from Old City daily; Sep–Feb: 9am–4pm daily.
wealthy colony of tobacco, rice, Market to the Battery takes in Closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & 7
and indigo plantations. The first many highlights along Church ∑ scaquarium.org
shot of the Civil War was fired Street, including the old maga­ Picturesquely set overlooking
just off the city’s harbor, where zine, the Gothic French Huguenot the harbor, Charleston’s
people gathered to watch Church, and the Heyward- aquarium provides an excellent
the Confederate siege of Fort Washington House. This 1772 introduction to the indigenous
Sumter. Today, Charleston house was built by rice planter creatures found within the
retains much of its original Daniel Heyward and has a collec­ state’s aquatic habitats. These
period architec ture and is a tion of Charleston­made furniture. range from Appalachian rivers
popular destination for A half­block detour to the east and blackwater swamps, to salt
antebellum house­and­garden on Chalmers leads to the Old marshes and coral reefs.
tours, horse­and­carriage rides, Slave Mart, once one of the
fine Southern cuisine, and busiest in the American colonies. P Fort Sumter Visitor Center
plantation retreats, including At the Battery, the Edmondston- 340 Concord St. Tel (843) 883­
those on Ashley River Road and Alston House features two floors 3123. Open 8:30am–5pm daily.
McLeod Plantation Historic Site. of an opulent 1825 man sion over­ Closed Thanksgiving, Jan 1, Dec 25.
The historic district’s beautifully looking the harbor. White Point & boat tours. 7 ∑ nps.gov/fosu
preserved architecture evokes Gardens Park lies to the south, An embarkation point for boat
the city’s Colonial and early while in the north, Waterfront tours to Fort Sumter, the visitor
American past. The civic and Park, with its walk­through center relates the story of the
religious buildings here range
from styles as varied as Colonial
and Georgian, Greek and Gothic
Revival, to Italianate and Victorian.
Among the highlights are dis­
tinctive Charlestonian residences,
set perpendicular to the street
with grand piazzas running along
their lengths. The only high
structures are the church
steeples. Horse­and­carriage
rides through tree­lined streets
provide a graceful overview. Civil War cannon lying preserved at Fort Sumter
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp276–8 and pp279–81

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Date 25th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm