“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.
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Before the Hunley was found, Lieutenant George Dixon’s gold coin was just considered a legend. Dr. Maria Jacobsen tells the story and significance behind Lt. Dixon’s coin, and shares her excitement...
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(Originally broadcast 12/03/10) – The study and conservation of the Confederate submarine Hunley took a major step forward in June, 2011, when conservationists rotated the vessel, in its salt-water...
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Another challenge faced during the Hunley investigation was identifying the members of the crew. Determining who was who among the crew proved difficult due to lack of Confederate records. Dr. Maria...
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In this first segment on the Confederate submarine C.S.S. Hunley, Walter Edgar and Senator Glenn McConnell discuss how finding the submarine disproved all pre-conceived notions about its design...
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Dr. Jacobsen talks about the forensic investigation of the Hunley’s crew members, and analyzes the effects of sediment helping preserve their remains. The Hunley project has yielded both scientific...
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The Hunley is described as “a historic time capsule.” Sen. Glenn McConnell discusses using the clues found in the Hunley to piece together what happened the night it sank the U.S.S. Housatonic.
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Dr. Maria Jacobsen, the senior archaeologist on the Hunley project, discusses the excavation process of Hunley.
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Senator Glenn McConnell discusses raising the Hunley. Some of the challenges faced were maritime legal issues, and how the submarine was going to be lifted off of the ocean floor. Preserving the...
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Dr. James McPherson, professor emeritus of American History at Princeton University, won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, which has since sold more than six hundred thousand copies...
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Dr. Mark Smith analyzes auditory experiences during the Secession Convention, and the sounds and voices in Charleston, S.C., during the Civil War.
