We found out at the museum that the Heyward-Washington house was free that Sunday, so we decided to visit. We parked in yet another parking deck and arrived at 87 Church Street just in time for a tour. The tours started about every half hour and lasted about 30 minutes. Thomas Heyward, a signer of the Declarartion of Independence, built the house in the late 18th century, but its main claim to fame resides in the fact that the first president (hence the addition of Washington) stayed there during his 1791 tour of the new country. The house contains several nice pieces of furniture and art, but isn't quite as memorable as a few others I have visited in Charleston. Claire was extremely well-behaved inside and saved her rambunctiousness for the garden, which we were free to wander after the tour. We also toured an outer building containing washing and cooking facilities. Claire ran around and around the maze of the garden with me in hot pursuit, since we needed to get on up the street for another tour. Gina and I coordinated our moves and cornered her. I had to physically remove her from the premises. |
The final item on our sightseeing agenda was the Calhoun Mansion, the largest house in Charleston at a whopping 24,000 square feet. Although high-priced, the mansion tour was quite enjoyable. A very wealthy wholesaler and banker by the name of George Walton Williams built the place in the last half of the 19th century It received its current name from later residents, relatives of the famous John C. Calhoun, twice vice-president of the U.S. The navy later used it for officers, and by the time it went on sale in the 70s the house was a dump. A local lawyer picked it up for a song at just $220,000 and spent 23 years renovating and refurnishing it. He did a nice job! Most of the furnishings came from Southebys and Christy's. The lawyer moved out a few years ago, and it is now on sale for a cool $9 million. Throw in a few million more and get the furnishings to boot. This tour lasted about 40 minutes. The ladies at the door said we would be asked to leave if Claire acted up. She was a little wild at the entrance, so it looked like that was a possibility. However, she performed magnificently in the house. She didn't stand still much but did stay with us and was very quiet. She insisted on looking into each room herself. The only catch was in the kitchen (the last room on the tour thank goodness) when she had a little too much fun walking back-and-forth over the modern air conditioning vent. |
After lunch, we explored more of the historic area. I had been trying for days to visit the two big churches (St. Michael's and St. Phillips) with no success. It seemed we were always there either too late or during a wedding. Both had weddings today, but we did finally manage to see them. Both of these Episcopalian churches are fairly plain inside but still interesting. Claire wanted to go back again. I think she enjoyed wandering around all the old-style box-pews. St. Phillip's is perhaps more striking because of the three porticoes on its Church street façade. Both George Washington and Robert E. Lee worshipped at the white-painted St. Michael's. The towers of both churches rise far above the surrounding structures and give emphasis to Charleston's nickname of "The Holy City." You should not neglect the opportunity to visit the two churches' graveyards, which are perhaps the best indicators of the importance of these two buildings in the life of historic Charleston. John C. Calhoun, a famous former vice-president of the U.S. is interred at St. Michael's and two signers of the Constitution rest at St. Phillips. I love old graveyards; they are full of so much character (and so many characters too). If you want to take a break from all the walking, take a load off your feet on one of the benches of Charleston's first public park, Washington Square. Before leaving, take a look at the statues dating back to the 18th century and the obelisk honoring the Civil War service of Charleston's own Washington Light Infantry. Claire did decide to take a load off and stretched out on one of the benches. I thought I would never get her up. A three-year old can only do so much walking. We ate our final dinner at Anson, a very popular restaurant near the City Market. It was Saturday night, and the place was very busy, complete with a wedding reception upstairs. We had called ahead for reservations, thankfully. Although the restaurant was pretty noisy, it did have a certain elegance, enhanced by a dressy crowd out for an upscale dinner experience. I would guess this place could be quite romantic if less crowded. The service was fantastic. Our waiter even got down on Claire's level and tried to cater to her needs as much as the adults. He got an extra tip for that. Anson is supposed to have some of the best she-crab soup around, so I ordered up a batch as an appetizer. It was very good but didn't come with enough crab for the price. The roast duck was quite tasty. Gina had pecan chicken with blackberry bourbon sauce, which was great but not quite as good as Jestine's. Claire was happy to have spaghetti without all the meat and ate every bite. After dinner, we took Claire for another walk around the market. Everyone was out for a night on the town, wandering the streets between the clubs and eateries and dressed in their night-on-the-town attire. Claire has a lot of rhythm, although I am at a loss to explain where she acquired it. She swayed and danced each time we heard music wafting out onto the streets. When we came across a sidewalk bongo player, Claire let the music take control and took over the sidewalk as her personal stage. The bongo player was inspired by his little co-performer and increased his intensity, Claire keeping time as he occasionally changed the tempo. A few observers told us Claire should be the one getting the tips. The whole time I was kicking myself for leaving the video camera in the car, so I drove back around later to film her dancing to the bongos again. I wish I had her energy; this was around 10:00 p.m., at the end of a busy day. |
For lunch, we decided on Slightly North of Broad, another of Charleston's better known spots. SNOB, as the restaurant is commonly known, seemed populated with a mixture of a well-heeled businesspeople and mostly well-heeled visitors. Claire was about the only child in the place. It was a noisy atmosphere because of all the conversation, but the food was excellent. I had more shrimp and grits, which compared very favorably to the ones from Poogan's Porch. Gina had fried chicken livers. Actually we both had some. They didn't quite get the first ones right, so we had extra. Gina liked them, but I thought they were great with the plum sauce. All that walking will give you quite an appetite. Claire didn't care very much for her spaghetti; the sauce was a little too meaty for her taste. |
Boone Hall Plantation was our next stop. Major John Boone, one of the area's first settlers, founded Boone Hall, near modern day Mt. Pleasant. It once encompassed thousands of acres. The house at Boone Hall was built in the 20th century, and the gardens don't quite compare to Middleton Place or Magnolia. The real attractions are the "world famous" avenue of oaks and the row of original slave cabins. We approached through a tunnel of old oak trees that served as the entrance to Mont Royal Plantation on the mini-series North and South. Most of the cabins, once inhabited by relatively privileged house slaves, are now empty, but they do give a glimpse into the past. Because of the oaks and cabins, I think Boone Hall more closely approaches what one would expect from a plantation than any of the others around Charleston. A short walk behind the cabins brought us to a rice wharf, where slaves loaded the grains onto barges for water transport. The marshes would be more photogenic without the modern housing development across the way. Some say Boone Hall is over-priced. I didn't feel this way, but there really isn't a lot to see there compared to other plantations. |
Charleston - 2002 - A Family Trip Part III |
Friday, May 17, 2002 - World Famous Oaks and More Shrimp and Grits |
We started out the day at the lighthouse on Sullivan's Island. I wanted to take some family photos on the beach. On the way, I called to check on my car. I had left it at a dearlership nearly a week before to have warranty repairs made while on vacation. Between the utter lack of customer support I experienced over the phone and Gina's softdrink spilling around her gear shift, we were not in a good mood upon arrival but managed to regroup and get a few good shots. Still, the light was a little harsh for my taste, and squinting was a major issue on the white sand. It is just so hard to get an early start with a three-year old; certainly, Claire needed and deserved to sleep. |
Boone Hall Plantation was our next stop. Major John Boone, one of the area's first settlers, founded Boone Hall, near modern day Mt. Pleasant. It once encompassed thousands of acres. The house at Boone Hall was built in the 20th century, and the gardens don't quite compare to Middleton Place or Magnolia. The real attractions are the "world famous" avenue of oaks and the row of original slave cabins. We approached through a tunnel of old oak trees that served as the entrance to Mont Royal Plantation on the mini-series North and South. Most of the cabins, once inhabited by relatively privileged house slaves, are now empty, but they do give a glimpse into the past. Because of the oaks and cabins, I think Boone Hall more closely approaches what one would expect from a plantation than any of the others around Charleston. A short walk behind the cabins brought us to a rice wharf, where slaves loaded the grains onto barges for water transport. The marshes would be more photogenic without the modern housing development across the way. Some say Boone Hall is over-priced. I didn't feel this way, but there really isn't a lot to see there compared to other plantations. |
For lunch, we decided on Slightly North of Broad, another of Charleston's better known spots. SNOB, as the restaurant is commonly known, seemed populated with a mixture of a well-heeled businesspeople and mostly well-heeled visitors. Claire was about the only child in the place. It was a noisy atmosphere because of all the conversation, but the food was excellent. I had more shrimp and grits, which compared very favorably to the ones from Poogan's Porch. Gina had fried chicken livers. Actually we both had some. They didn't quite get the first ones right, so we had extra. Gina liked them, but I thought they were great with the plum sauce. All that walking will give you quite an appetite. Claire didn't care very much for her spaghetti; the sauce was a little too meaty for her taste. |
After lunch, we explored more of the historic area. I had been trying for days to visit the two big churches (St. Michael's and St. Phillips) with no success. It seemed we were always there either too late or during a wedding. Both had weddings today, but we did finally manage to see them. Both of these Episcopalian churches are fairly plain inside but still interesting. Claire wanted to go back again. I think she enjoyed wandering around all the old-style box-pews. St. Phillip's is perhaps more striking because of the three porticoes on its Church street façade. Both George Washington and Robert E. Lee worshipped at the white-painted St. Michael's. The towers of both churches rise far above the surrounding structures and give emphasis to Charleston's nickname of "The Holy City." You should not neglect the opportunity to visit the two churches' graveyards, which are perhaps the best indicators of the importance of these two buildings in the life of historic Charleston. John C. Calhoun, a famous former vice-president of the U.S. is interred at St. Michael's and two signers of the Constitution rest at St. Phillips. I love old graveyards; they are full of so much character (and so many characters too). If you want to take a break from all the walking, take a load off your feet on one of the benches of Charleston's first public park, Washington Square. Before leaving, take a look at the statues dating back to the 18th century and the obelisk honoring the Civil War service of Charleston's own Washington Light Infantry. Claire did decide to take a load off and stretched out on one of the benches. I thought I would never get her up. A three-year old can only do so much walking. We ate our final dinner at Anson, a very popular restaurant near the City Market. It was Saturday night, and the place was very busy, complete with a wedding reception upstairs. We had called ahead for reservations, thankfully. Although the restaurant was pretty noisy, it did have a certain elegance, enhanced by a dressy crowd out for an upscale dinner experience. I would guess this place could be quite romantic if less crowded. The service was fantastic. Our waiter even got down on Claire's level and tried to cater to her needs as much as the adults. He got an extra tip for that. Anson is supposed to have some of the best she-crab soup around, so I ordered up a batch as an appetizer. It was very good but didn't come with enough crab for the price. The roast duck was quite tasty. Gina had pecan chicken with blackberry bourbon sauce, which was great but not quite as good as Jestine's. Claire was happy to have spaghetti without all the meat and ate every bite. After dinner, we took Claire for another walk around the market. Everyone was out for a night on the town, wandering the streets between the clubs and eateries and dressed in their night-on-the-town attire. Claire has a lot of rhythm, although I am at a loss to explain where she acquired it. She swayed and danced each time we heard music wafting out onto the streets. When we came across a sidewalk bongo player, Claire let the music take control and took over the sidewalk as her personal stage. The bongo player was inspired by his little co-performer and increased his intensity, Claire keeping time as he occasionally changed the tempo. A few observers told us Claire should be the one getting the tips. The whole time I was kicking myself for leaving the video camera in the car, so I drove back around later to film her dancing to the bongos again. I wish I had her energy; this was around 10:00 p.m., at the end of a busy day. |
Saturday, May 18, 2002 - House Tours and Home via South of the Border |
Gina and I finally got out of bed around 8:00 and woke Claire about 8:45. While Gina "slowly" got Claire ready, I loaded the car for the trip home. We had a leisurely breakfast downstairs of waffles and danishes and headed to the visitor center parking deck. We loved the self-serve waffle irons at the Sleep Inn. We started out at the Charleston Museum, just across the street from the visitor center. It was much better than expected, and I would rate it a must for those with at least 2-3 days in town. We were inside about an hour, but I wish I had two more to take in its vast collection of artifacts relating to the area's pre-Civil War history. Unfortunately, the Civil War exhibit was under construction. The museum contains a wide range of items, including Native American and slavery-related artifacts. Videos and static displays detail the all-important slave-dependent rice culture that built so many local fortunes. Another part of the museum contains a large collection of stuffed wildlife, and yet another houses a vast silver collection dating way back. If you can't find the museum by its signage, then look for the model of the Confederate submarine Hunley outside the entrance. Claire enjoyed the animal exhibits in the museum. She also liked walking around the different rooms, not giving us too much trouble but having to be retrieved once in a while. |
The final item on our sightseeing agenda was the Calhoun Mansion, the largest house in Charleston at a whopping 24,000 square feet. Although high-priced, the mansion tour was quite enjoyable. A very wealthy wholesaler and banker by the name of George Walton Williams built the place in the last half of the 19th century It received its current name from later residents, relatives of the famous John C. Calhoun, twice vice-president of the U.S. The navy later used it for officers, and by the time it went on sale in the 70s the house was a dump. A local lawyer picked it up for a song at just $220,000 and spent 23 years renovating and refurnishing it. He did a nice job! Most of the furnishings came from Southebys and Christy's. The lawyer moved out a few years ago, and it is now on sale for a cool $9 million. Throw in a few million more and get the furnishings to boot. This tour lasted about 40 minutes. The ladies at the door said we would be asked to leave if Claire acted up. She was a little wild at the entrance, so it looked like that was a possibility. However, she performed magnificently in the house. She didn't stand still much but did stay with us and was very quiet. She insisted on looking into each room herself. The only catch was in the kitchen (the last room on the tour thank goodness) when she had a little too much fun walking back-and-forth over the modern air conditioning vent. |
The Calhoun Mansion has very nice gardens, containing a few statues, fountains, and colorful flower arrangements. It was a good spot for a photos of Claire, although she much preferred playing with the fountains. One of the grounds-keepers had fun stopping to watch me attempt to get Claire to stay still for a photo. Time for a very late lunch before the long drive home. Just after we arrived at T-Bonz, a popular steak place beside the market (another branch is in Mt. Pleasant), the bottom fell out, and it poured rain. I felt sorry for those people riding around in all the carriages. It had barely rained all week until then. I had a chili cheeseburger and fries, while Gina had an apple bacon burger and Claire a hotdog and yet another pickle. We split an order of double-fried buffalo wings. Hey, we didn't come to Charleston to lose weight! Before leaving, we finally broke down and bought fudge from one of the shops near the market. Over the course of two trips we had probably eaten a pound of two worth of sample pieces. Warm pralines will melt in your mouth. Gina and Claire walked around the market while I used our only umbrella to retrieve the car from down the street. On the way, I popped into a bookstore to get a children's book on Charleston for Claire. Claire slept most of the way home, except for a brief restroom stop at South of the Border. If you have ever driven Highway 95, then you are very familiar with the signs for this tacky place. I hesitate to even call it a tourist trap. It really only consists of conveniece stores and gas stations, a few hotels and restaurants, mostly junk-laden gift shops, and a small amusement park. You can't miss the place. It is just south of the North Carolina-South Carolina border and has a huge sombrero sign. Claire actually enjoyed seeing all the plaster animals lining the drives. It did look like they had good amusement rides for someone her age; maybe next time. It was cold and rainy. For adults, I suggest steering clear of the place, unless you must assuage your curiosity after seeing all the crazy signs on your drive. The gas was over-priced, the restrooms approached third-world quality, and it just didn't look inviting at all. I just stopped out of curiosity because I had always by-passed it since once when my parents stopped many moons ago. |
The One-eyed Traveler |
We found out at the museum that the Heyward-Washington house was free that Sunday, so we decided to visit. We parked in yet another parking deck and arrived at 87 Church Street just in time for a tour. The tours started about every half hour and lasted about 30 minutes. Thomas Heyward, a signer of the Declarartion of Independence, built the house in the late 18th century, but its main claim to fame resides in the fact that the first president (hence the addition of Washington) stayed there during his 1791 tour of the new country. The house contains several nice pieces of furniture and art, but isn't quite as memorable as a few others I have visited in Charleston. Claire was extremely well-behaved inside and saved her rambunctiousness for the garden, which we were free to wander after the tour. We also toured an outer building containing washing and cooking facilities. Claire ran around and around the maze of the garden with me in hot pursuit, since we needed to get on up the street for another tour. Gina and I coordinated our moves and cornered her. I had to physically remove her from the premises. |
This page was last updated on: September 8,
2002
Text and photos copyright 1984-2002 Dan Woodlief |
