Charleston

“Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state.”

“Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state.” Situated in the Lowcountry, the county serves as a popular vacation destination but also relies on the business that results from its port. The area in general serves as a large cultural and economic hub for the state.

Charleston County was founded as Charleston District in 1769, and the district became smaller after some of its lands were used to create Colleton and Berkeley counties. The county and its seat were named after King Charles II.

The city and county are saturated with Revolutionary War and Civil War history. Three signers of the United States Constitution and two famous abolitionists resided in Charleston County, and the Civil War began when soldiers fired shots from the county’s Fort Sumter.

Levi G. Byrd (1891-?) | Road Trip
Levi G. Byrd (1891-?) | Road Trip

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The first chapters of the NAACP began in Charleston and Columbia in 1917. By 1929 a total of 12 chapters had been formed in the state. At that time the state organizations focused on registering Black...
Helen Satterley Photos | Digital Traditions
Helen Satterley Photos | Digital Traditions

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Resident of McClellanville, SC (Charleston County). She grew up learning to speak Gullah and tells jokes and stories in the Gullah language. Her house was damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but...
Jane Wineglass Photos | Digital Traditions
Jane Wineglass Photos | Digital Traditions

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A McClellanville, SC (Charleston County) resident, Ms. Wineglass has long been known for her folk medicine remedies, as well as the ability to interpret dreams. Interview conducted by Gail Matthews.
Roger Bellow Photos | Digital Traditions
Roger Bellow Photos | Digital Traditions

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Roger Bellow is a scholar, teacher and award-winning performer who has been a lifelong proponent of early country music traditions. He first learned about country music in Uptown, an area of Chicago...