Exploring the Historical Sites of Charleston, SC

Charleston is what many have referred to as a “living museum,” a city with perfectly preserved architecture, a plethora of historical spots, and a cultural hub that taps into the area’s rich history to bring it into the present.

 

History buffs will love visiting here. The next time you’re looking at Charleston houses for sale, check out one of these historical sites.

 

Fort Sumter

The Fort is most famous for being the site of the first shots of the American Civil War. Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard had his troops bombard the Fort and, after 34 hours of artillery fire, the Fort was surrendered to the Confederate troops.

 

Interestingly, there were no casualties as a result of the fight.

 

Built in 1812, this island fortification was also manned during the Spanish-American War and both World Wars.

 

Today you can board a boat to Fort Sumter from the city for a tour of the site that details the structure’s history.

  

McLeod Plantation Historical Site

This former slave plantation is now a 37-acre Gullah Geechee heritage site that has been carefully preserved.  A major feature of the site is the McLeod Oak, which is thought to be more than 600 years old.

 

The Plantation is a living tribute to the fraught history it was built on and survived through.

 

Visitors can tour the plantation and learn about its importance during the Civil War, what daily life there was like, and the importance of the sea island cotton the site was built on.

 

Drayton Hall

Drayton is an 18th-century plantation that serves as a way to educate people about the historical south and hardships there. It contains a collection of rare fine art pieces and artifacts, and the home itself is a study in architecture.

 

The home was stabilized instead of restored when purchased in the 1970s, making it America’s oldest unrestored plantation.

 

You can view the main house, galleries, and landscape independently or via audio tour.

 

Charleston City Market

This historic complex in the downtown area was built in the 1790s and spans four city blocks.

 

Beef and produce were the main selling staples in the beginning, and today vendors have everything from food and souvenirs to jewelry and handmade local crafts.

 

Its Greek revival-style architecture is highly noted, with its front inspired by Greek and Roman temples.

 

Middleton Place

This National Historical Landmark is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the nation.

 

The former plantation’s South Flanker was built in 1755 and served as gentlemen’s guest quarters and a business office. The only surviving building of the main three on the property, it is now a House Museum that offers guided tours.

 

The gardens are massive. There are over 100,000 azaleas on the property alone, and hundreds of other flora to see.

 

Magnolia Plantations and Gardens

Another great spot to take in gorgeous flowers is at Magnolia, a large-scale romantic-style garden.

 

It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry and the oldest public gardens in America. The gardens opened to visitors in 1870.