Hotel Class: 
2.5 Stars - 92 Opinions
678 Citadel Haven Dr, Charleston, South Carolina, 29414, United States
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of people enjoy staying here
92 Opinions
CAnnon amoung the tourists
Market Interior
Charleston Harbor
Looking Into the Back Room
Why are homes on tge Battery in Charleston so close to the sidewalks?
So you don't have to walk so far to get to where you are going???? I don't know, but since I was in Charleston last September, I'll use this as a bookmark to see if anyone answers.
My guess is that the sidewalks and street were not originally there when the houses were built and were added later. There was likely only a promenade along the water.
Any Charleston VT'ers here that know for sure?
Hmmm - it might also be the opposite: the streets in the area were maybe in place and so dictated the amount of land between them. The houses may be close to the street to maximize the size of house they could put on the property. Just guessing here...
My guess is that it has to do with houses in town versus houses out in the country. I suspect that many wealthy people who had the biggest houses in that end of Charlestown also had country plantations back when the town was initially developed. Thus, they had plenty of grass and open areas out in the country, so they didn't particularly need it in the city - what do most of us use our front yards for anyway?
In addition, as noted, land in the town center was "expensive" (although probably laughably cheap compared to today), and the state of transportation was foot and horse - so town lot sizes were quite small.
So, if the lots are small, but you have a lot of money and want to show off...you end up building a big house on a small lot (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Park_%28Charleston%29 for an example). Houses were used for sleeping and especially for social occasions, so the big houses needed big ballrooms indoors, making the houses large.
Anyway, you'll find the lack of front yard rather common in urban settings prior to the American Civil War - just look at Old Town Alexandria (Virginia), where people can open their front door - directly on to the sidewalk (OK, down 3 or so steps)...
Bill
McCalpin's idea is close to what I have learned. The wealthy plantation owners lived in their town mansions and socialized during the worst weather and mosquito seasons and left the slaves to oversee the plantations on the barrier islands. The homes were probably placed on narrow, cobblestone streets and near the rivers for the view and breezes. Porches were arranged to take advantage of the breezes. The blacks on the barrier islands were isolated for a long time and that is how the Gullah culture and language developed. The black history on the South Carolina and Georgia coast is very interesting. Gullah tours are available in the Charleston area, also, a visit to Charlestown Landing, the original Charleston settlement, explains lot of history of the area.
Best time to visit is definitely mid April through early/ mid June. Varies from warm to hot, but not too hot, and it's the time before the humidity gets bad. Mornings always have a nice breeze and then the afternoon sun warms up to 75 to 85 degrees..then it cools down again in the evening. Sunset downtown from over the churches or from waterfront park or the battery. Beautiful.
This is the house at 17 East Battery overlooking Charleston Harbor and Ft. Sumter. This house is special because this is where my wife and I were married. Our vows were exchanged on the first floor piazza with the harbor over our shoulder.
Charleston was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670 and moved to is present location in 1680. The city is located along the South Carolina coast at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. By 1690 this was the fifth largest city in the US.
During the American Revolution, Charlestown was twice targeted by the British forces, and was captured in 1780. Before the Civil War Charleston was a hotbed of states' rights activism, including the divisive Democratic National Convention which allowed Lincoln to be elected. The Civil War actually began in Charleston with the siege of Fort Sumter.
One of the most forlorn lighthouses in the United States, Morris Island Lighthouse sits on a sand bar of what used to be Morris Island. At high tide, the base of the lighthouse is underwater. First illuminated in 1876, it was originally 2700 feet from the shoreline. But jetties that were constructed not long afterwards to help the shipping lanes of Charleston, had the effect of eroding Morris Island. By 1938, the erosion was so bad that Morris Island Lighthouse was automated, and the keepers buildings removed. In 1962 the lighthouse was decommissioned.
Today, it's an interesting sight to see this once proud lighthouse sitting abandoned out in the Atlantic Ocean. Located south of Charleston at the northern tip of Folly Island.
I saw this sign when we were down at the waterfront near the Charleston Aquarium and the docks for Fort Sumter. It is for the American Military Museum at 40 Pinckney St.
I did not have either the time or inclination to visit, but apparently this museum has uniforms, artifacts from war in Vietnam, Korea, both World Wars, Spanish-American War, Indian wars, Civil War.
Admission is $2 (adults), $1 (under age 12).
Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday.
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Address: 678 Citadel Haven Dr, Charleston, South Carolina, 29414, United States
