Sunday September 22, 2013

We arrived in Charleston by noon.  I had no idea of what to expect.  Once again, I’m reminded of my own old adage – “History is wasted on the young”!!  This city is a veritable cornerstone to American history, and I anxiously look forward to discovery!!

Charleston is sometimes called “Holy City”.  This moniker was given to it, because it was the first colonial city to grant religious freedom, it has the most churches per square mile in the country, and finally, because the skyline is punctuated by spires.  There is a city ordinance limiting the construction of any building higher than the spires.

We’re staying at the Ansonborough Inn located in the historical district of downtown.  British officer Admiral Anson was brought in to protect the Charleston Harbor against pirates in 1724.  The stakes of a poker game that he won, was the entire area now called Ansonborough!  The building itself, was a stationery warehouse that’s been beautifully restored.

First order of the day was a visit to Fort Sumter – now a national monument and part of the National Park Service!  What a surprise for me… again, I must’ve slept through that lesson!  On the ferry ride to the fort, we saw dolphins in the harbor.   So, as I learned, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union in 1860.  Fort Sumter had been built after the War of 1812 as one of a series of coastal fortifications.  Maj Anderson moved his garrison into it the day after Christmas, 1860.  It as of yet was not completed, but was a better vantage point for the small army of men (85).  When the union flag was raised over the fort, it was perceived by Charlestonians as a declaration of war.  Anyhow, the long and the short of it, Anderson by April, with no provisions able to make it into the harbor,  was forced to surrender and the fort came into the hands of the Confederates.  After 4 years of continual bombing and destruction, the war came to an end.  Anderson was invited out of retirement to raise the union flag (same one he had to take down) once again.  Lincoln was also invited to attend the ceremony, but he had “theatre tickets” for that night…and the rest is history!!!

While we were discovering Fort Sumter, Karen, Liz and Jane went to Magnolia Plantation.  Though the season for blossoms was over, the flora of the plantation was magnificent (Jane’s words).   The statue pictured here was found in the conservatory, and struck Liz’ fancy.  They were impressed with the ferns and orchids – that we later found out at the Meet your Group meeting, Conrad grows!

 

 

Later this afternoon, we meet our bike guides, have a warm up ride, meet the rest of the group and tomorrow, continue exploration of this very historical niche of our country!!