Poinsettia is commonly known as Charleston's flower. It was brought from
Mexico by Joel Roberts Poinsett, about 1828. "There is some difference
of opinion," says Dr. Gabriel Manigault, "as to whether Mr. Poinsett
discovered it himself or simply introduced it to this country." After
his retirement from a busy and distinguished public service, Mr.
Poinsett's home "had always been in the City of Charleston." His
residence was "situated upon what is now Rutledge Avenue, on the east
side, a few squares above Calhoun Street. The house ... was recessed
some distance from the street, and stood in the midst of a grove of live
oaks; it was generally known as Poinsett's Grove." Mr. Poinsett was
representative in congress, minister to Mexico in an eventful period,
Secretary of War under President Van Buren, a rice planter who
contributed much to the improvement of the grain.
CHARLESTON'S HOTELS: The Francis Marion, at King and Calhoun Streets, in
the heart of the retail shopping district, facing Marion Square, was
opened in the spring of 1924. Its building was a community enterprise.
The Fort Sumter, facing the Battery, at the foot of King Street, on the
Ashley River, was opened in 1924. It maintains a dock for yachts. It is
in the exclusive residential section.
The St. John Hotel, built by Otis Mills, a caravansary with a long and a
distinguished record, is at the southwest corner of Meeting and Queen
Streets. President Theodore Roosevelt stayed here in the winter of 1902.
The Timrod Hotel, opposite Washington Square, is a comfortable and
convenient place in the building formerly occupied by the Commercial
Club.
The Charleston Hotel, Meeting between Hayne and Pinckney, has housed
many notable guests, including the Princess Louise, daughter of Queen
Victoria.
The Argyle, northwest corner of Meeting and Hasell Streets, was
renovated and newly outfitted some years ago. It was formerly the St.
Charles.
Villa Margharita, South Battery and Church Street, was the former home
of Andrew Simonds, banker.
CABBAGE ROW, _Supposed Home of "Porgy"_: Everybody coming to Charleston
inquires about "Porgy," the deformed negro of whom DuBose Heyward wrote
a best seller, which was translated into a successful play. Cabbage Row,
on Church Street, near Tradd, west side, is the supposed Catfish Row.
Cabbage Row has been renovated and restored. "Porgy" was a well-known
Charleston character whose home was in the former Village of Cool Blow,
on upper Meeting Street. His last days were tragedy. It would spoil a
reading of "Porgy" to discuss him at length.
WASHINGTON RACE COURSE, _August Belmont Moved the Pillars_: Memories of
the old Washington race course survive, but the Jockey Club has been out
of existence these forty years. Decades have elapsed since races were
run on the course. The track was on property entered from Rutledge
Avenue near present-day Hampton Park. In 1901 the old pillars in the
ornate gateway were purchased by August Belmont and reërected at his
Belmont Park, near New York City. There are now no traces of the famous
race course to which in the season the South Carolina aristocracy went
in force and regalia. Notable races were run.
OLD 'BORO BOUNDARIES: Should a visitor stay in Charleston long enough to
ramble out of the beaten paths, these boundaries to old divisions may be
of interest:
Savage's Green, west of Logan and Broad Streets.
Harleston's, bounded by Beaufain, Coming and Calhoun Streets, and the
Ashley River.
Mazyck's Lands, bounded by Archdale, Beaufain, Broad, Smith and Trapman
Streets.
Cannonboro', bounded by Smith, Bull, and Spring Streets and Ashley
Avenue.
Gadsden's Green, bounded by Cannon and President Streets, the old public
cemetery (the Stadium) and the Ashley River.
Gadsden's Square, bounded by Congress, Payne, Mount and Line Streets.
Elliottboro', within Spring, Line, and Coming Streets and Rutledge
Avenue.
Radcliffeboro', within Radcliffe, Vanderhorst, Smith and King Streets.
Wraggboro', eastern part of the Wragg Lands about the old Northeastern
Railroad station.
Mazyckboro', bounded by Chapel, Elizabeth and Calhoun Streets and the
Cooper River, running into Wraggboro' as a wedge.
Ansonboro', south of Wraggboro', bounded by Calhoun Street, a line
between Society and Wentworth, King Street on the west, Anson Street on
the east.
Glebe Lands, extending from Beaufain to George Streets, between St.
Philip and Coming Streets.
Hewatt Square, bounded by Friend (now Legare), Broad Mazyck (now upper
Logan), and Queen Streets.
Archdale Square, bounded by Meeting, Broad, King, and Queen Streets.
Schenking's Square, north of Queen, between King and Meeting Streets,
half-way to Horlbeck Alley.
"City Mudpond," East Battery, South Battery, Church, half-way to
Atlantic Street (nowadays a most fashionable residential area).
Village of Hampstead, between South, Blake, Meeting and Bay Streets;
owned by Henry Laurens and the Bampfield family.
Village of New Market, north of Hampstead.
"There are other smaller divisions of land which are too numerous to
mention here."--_Wilmot G. de Saussure._
_Index_
A
PAGE
Academy of Music 55
Academy of Our Lady of Mercy 80
Aiken, William 16
Allston, Robert F. W., Governor 8
Apothecary's Hall 46
Arbuthnot, Admiral 85
Archdale, John, Quaker, Governor 15
Argyle, Duke of 28
Art Gallery, Gibbes Memorial 85
Municipal 40
Ashley Hall, Colonial Seat 35
School 70
Ashley River, Bridge 51
Road 35
Attakullakulla, Cherokee Chief 35
Audubon, J. J., Naturalist 30
B
Baker Sanatorium 68
Banks 90
Battery 65
Beaches 91
Beauregard, P. G. T., General 58
Belle Isle Gardens v
Beth Elohim Synagogue 78
Birthplace of Masonry 82
Bishop England High School 82
Bishop's House 83
Blacklock, William, House 63
Bonnet, Stede, Pirate 41
'Boros, Boundaries of 102
Brewton, Miles, House 60
Bull, William, House 59
C
Cabbage Row 101
Calhoun, Grave 10, 26
Monument 46
Campbell, William, Lord, House 59
Cassique of Kiawah 2
Castle Pinckney 37
Chamber of Commerce 89
Churches:
Baptist--
Citadel Square 97
First 28
Congregational, Circular 26
French Protestant (Huguenot) 27
Lutheran--
St. Andrew's 98
St. Johannes 98
St. John's 50
St. Matthew's 97
Methodist Episcopal--
Bethel 87
Cumberland 29
Trinity 29
Presbyterian--
First (Scotch) 28
Second 96
Third (St. Andrew's) 95
Westminster 95
Protestant Episcopal--
Grace 79
Holy Communion 97
St. Andrew's 34
St. James, Goose Creek 33
St. Luke's 88
St. Michael's 38
St. Paul's 79
St. Peter's 80
St. Philip's (Mother Church) 24
Roman Catholic--
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 39
St. Mary's (Mother Church) 32
Synagogue, Beth Elohim 78
Unitarian 32
Citadel, Military College 53
Green 46
City Hall 40
Park 57
Cleveland, Grover, President 84
Clinton, Sir Henry 60
College of Charleston 54
Colonial Common 68
Lake 68
Lighthouse 7
Powder Magazine 1
Confederate Museum 46
Convent, Sisters of Mercy 80
Cooper River Bridge 52
Cornwallis, Lord 60
Country Club 90
County Court House 74
Cradle of Presbyterianism 26
Custom House, United States 75
Colonial 41
Cypress Gardens 84
D
De Grasse, Compte 85
Dock Street Theater 9, 24
Dorchester, Ruins of 37
Drayton Hall 35
E
Edwards, John, House 85
England, John M., Bishop 39
English Church 24
Enston, William, Home 87
Exchange, Colonial 41
F
Fenwick Hall 51
Fire of 1861 91
Fireproof Building 58
First White Child 85
Fisher, Lavinia, Hanging 93
Folly Beach 91
Fort Bull 35
Johnson 19
Moultrie 21
Sumter 22
Fraser, Charles, Artist 40, 44
G
Gardens, Belle Isle v
Cypress 84
Magnolia-on-Ashley 50
Middleton Place 48
Runnymede 35
Gateway Walk of the Garden Club 16
Gibbes, Memorial Art Gallery 85
William, House 62
Gilman, Samuel, Reverend 32
Golf 88
Goose Creek Church 33
H
Hall, Hibernian Society 87
St. Andrew's Society, Site 17
South Carolina Institute, Site 44
South Carolina Society 77
Hampton, Park 74
Wade, General, Born 14
Hartford, Famous Frigate 89
Heyward, Thomas, Jr., Signer 63
"Horn Work" Remnant 46
Hotels 100
Huger, Francis Kinloch 17
Huguenin, Thomas A. 23
I
Isle of Palms 91
Izard Houses 83
J
Jasper, Sergeant 66
Jefferson, Joseph, Actor 96
K
King's Highway 52
L
Lafayette, General 17
Lee, Robert E., General 10
Liberty Tree, Site 73
Library, Charleston, Society 64
Lighthouse, Morris Island 47
Lincoln, Abraham, President 78
Lucas, Eliza 52
Lutheran, First Church 30
Lynch, Patrick Nielsen, Bishop 39
M
Magnolia-on-Ashley 50
Marion, Francis, General 19, 46
Square 46
Masonry, Birthplace of 82
Mass, First at Charleston 33
Medical College 68
Middleton, Arthur, Signer 48
Henry A., House 72
Place, Gardens 48
Monroe, James, President 17, 26
Motte, Rebecca, Heroine 60
Moultrie, Fort 21
Monument 66
Playground 68
Municipal Golf Links 90
Museum, Charleston 65
Confederate 45
N
Navy Yard, United States 89
Northrop, Henry Pinckney, Bishop 39
O
Oaks, The, Colonial Seat 34
Oldest Building 13
Chamber of Commerce 89
Department Store 55
Drug Business 46
Library 64
Municipal College 54
Museum 65
Steam Railroad 16, 45
Theater 24
Orphan House, Charleston 84
P
Parker, Sir Peter 20
Petigru, James Louis, Grave 92
Pinckney, Castle 37
Charles 55
Charles Cotesworth 17, 52
Thomas 17, 52, 62
Pitt, William, Statue 58
Planters Hotel 9, 24
Poinsett, Joel Roberts 100
"Porgy" 101
Porter Military Academy 54
Postoffice, United States 75
Powder Magazine 15
Princess Louise 70
Q
Quaker Graveyard 15
Quaker Governor, John Archdale 15
R
Race Course, Washington 101
Rawdon, Lord 60
Rhett, William, House 14
Roosevelt, Theodore, President 10
Roper Hospital 69
Royal Arms, British 33
Runnymede 35
Rutledge, Edward, Signer 11, 26
John, House 83
S
Saint Cecilia Society 19
Sandford, Robert, Off Coast 1
Scotch Church 28
Secession Convention 17, 44
Chairs 77
Shaw Memorial School 98
Sherman, William T., General 38, 45
Sisters of Mercy 80
Slave Market 63
Smith, Robert, Bishop 24
"Solon Shingle," John E. Owens 57
Stuart, John, House 19
Sugar Factory, Site 96
Summerall, Charles Pelot, General 53
Sutherland, Duke of 28
Sumter, Fort 22
"Sword Gates" 77
Synagogue, Beth Elohim 78
T
Taft, William Howard, President 83
Theater, First in Charlestown 24
Thomas, Albert Sidney, Bishop 39
Thomson, John, Auditorium 65
William, Colonel 21
Timrod Monument 58
Trott, Nicholas, House 13
U
United States, Custom House 75
Navy Yard 89
Postoffice 75
V
Victoria's Daughter, Queen 70
W
Walsh, Emmet, Bishop 83
Washington, George, President 40, 63
Race Course 101
Square 57
William, House 73
Wesleys, John and Charles 30
White Meeting House 26
White Point Gardens (Battery) 65
X
Xavier, St. Francis, Infirmary 73
Y
Yeamans Hall Club 88
Young Men's Christian Association 78
Young Women's Christian Association 79
[Illustration: An Incomparable Stroll]
1. Site of Granville Bastion, now Omar Temple of the Shrine.
2. The Battery (White Point Gardens).
3. Villa Margharita.
4. William Washington House.
5. Fort Sumter Hotel; site of Princess Louise's Landing Stage.
6. Miles Brewton House.
7. William Bull House.
8. Lord William Campbell House.
9. Nathaniel Russell House.
10. First (Scotch) Presbyterian Church.
11. Horry (Branford) House.
12. South Carolina Hall.
13. Postoffice (park to the south).
14. County Court House (site of State House burned in 1788).
15. City Hall (former United States Bank).
16. St. Michael's Episcopal Church.
17. Site of Lee's Hotel (Mansion House).
18. Confederate Home (former Carolina Hotel).
19. Chamber of Commerce.
20. Site of Shepheard's Tavern; birthplace of Masonry.
21. Huguenot Church.
22. Ruins of Planters' Hotel, including site of First Theatre.
23. Pirate Houses.
24. St. Philip's Episcopal Church.
25. Grave of John Caldwell Calhoun.
26. Nicholas Trott's House.
27. Colonial Powder Magazine.
28. Circular Congregational Church.
29. Site of Institute Hall in which Secession was signed.
30. Gibbes Memorial Art Gallery.
31. Charleston Library Society.
32. St. John Hotel.
33. Unitarian Church.
34. St. John's Lutheran Church.
35. Convent of Our Lady of Mercy.
36. Crafts Public School.
37. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
38. Formal garden of Irving K. Heyward.
39. Site of St. Andrew's Hall in which Secession was adopted.
40. John Rutledge House.
41. The Izard Houses.
42. James Louis Petigru House.
43. Customs House.
44. Zig-Zag Alley.
45. Catholic Orphanage.
46. Site of St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
47. The "Sword Gates."
48. John Edwards House.
49. The Old Exchange.
50. Carolina Savings Bank.
51. South Carolina National Bank.
52. People's State Bank.
53. Hibernian Hall.
54. Timrod Hotel.
55. Quaker Graveyard.
56. John Stuart House.
57. Fireproof Building.
Prints and Plants of Old Gardens, by Kate Doggett Boggs.
A book for those who would like to produce a border, or a fence, or a
complete garden and want an old design. The drawings and illustrations
were taken from rare prints and books difficult to find and expensive to
buy. The author gathered her data from American and English gardens of
the seventeenth, eighteenth, and early nineteenth centuries. The
appendix contains a list of thousands of plants. The botanical names
were traced and arrangement into groups made by Dr. and Mrs. Bayard
Hammond of the Botanical Department of Johns Hopkins University. 10 x 13
inches. Drawings and illustrations. $5.00.
* * * * * * * *
Southern Antiques, by Paul H. Burroughs.
This book covers the field of furniture-making over a period of two
hundred years, from 1620 to 1820, and is concerned with that part of the
old South which comprised the original colonies of Maryland, Virginia,
North and South Carolina and Georgia. The text is arranged by sections
according to the kinds of furniture illustrated and described. Profusely
illustrated. 8½ x 11 inches. Drawings and illustrations. $5.00.
* * * * * * * *
Homes and Gardens in Old Virginia, edited by Susanne Williams Massie and
Frances Archer Christian for the Garden Club of Virginia.
This book tells of more than one hundred and fifty homes and gardens in
every part of the Old Dominion. The authors include H. J. Eckenrode,
Lyon G. Tyler, Rosewell Page, Alexander Weddell, Harold Jefferson
Coolidge, Arthur Kyle Davis, Robert A. Lancaster, Amélie Rives (Princess
Troubetzkoy) and many others. 6¾ x 9½ inches. 130 full-page
illustrations. $5.00.
* * * * * * * *
Thomas Jefferson: Architect and Builder, by I. T. Frary.
This is the first book published covering Jefferson's complete work as
an architect. The unusually fine photographs were made by the author and
include exteriors, interiors, detail studies and landscapes, as well as
reproductions of Jefferson's original drawings. I. T. Frary, author,
lecturer, teacher, is an authority on architecture. Covers stamped in
gold. Introduction by Fiske Kimball. 8½ x 11 inches. 96 full-page
illustrations. $5.00.
* * * * * * * *
In the Picturesque Shenandoah Valley, by Armistead C. Gordon.
The story of the great Valley of Virginia told as only Armistead Gordon
could tell it--of its scenery, its streams and mountains, its many
caverns, and better than all, its famous people. 6 x 9 inches. Maps and
illustrations. $2.50.
GARRETT & MASSIE, _Publishers_
Richmond, Virginia
$1.00
It is said that from the tops of the highest buildings in Charleston
come under the eye more historic places than come under it from any
other point in the United States. The book tells the history of those
places. The Charles Town that was and the Charleston this is are brought
before the reader. Names of eminent Carolinians pass in review and the
greatness of the lustrous past is linked with the present.
In Charleston survive scars of wars and storms and fires that raged in
the long ago. It has had part in Indian, Spanish and French wars. It has
had bold adventure with pirates. It was conspicuous in the Revolution
and in the War for Southern Independence.
The fame of Middleton Place, Magnolia, and Cypress gardens is
world-wide. Annually thousands of people visit Charleston to walk about
these wonderful gardens that are a living reminder of the beauty wrought
before the American Revolution.
* * * * * * * *
Thomas Petigru Lesesne, author and editor, is a member of a family that
has been distinguished in South Carolina since Charleston was a British
outpost in a savage land.
Transcriber's Notes
--Silently corrected a few typos.
--Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.
--In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.
End of Project Gutenberg's Landmarks of Charleston, by Thomas Petigru Lesesne