James Island County Park, Charleston, SC

James Island County Park, Charleston, SC

January 16 - 24, 2020

Our new truck came in on the Saturday before we were to leave on Thursday.  That gave John time to put in the hitch and cover and a couple other things.  This new truck comes with anything you can think of and some you can't.

It pulls really well and John says he can't even tell the 5th wheel is back there.

On Thursday, January 16 we got to James Island County Campground and got set up.

It was busy on the weekend but has thinned out.

On Friday, January 17 we went to the Charleston Tea Plantation and 'toured' the factory.  They have a walkway by where they process the tea and videos that show how it works.  This isn't the time of year for tea harvesting so the machines weren't working.

I drink a cup of tea almost every morning but never thought about the tea plants, where it came from or how it was processed.  This is the only place in the United States where tea is grown.

After we left the tea plantation we went to the Angel Oak.  It is a southern live oak and is estimated to be 400-500 years old.  It is huge and the pictures really can't capture how big it really is.

On Wednesday, January 22 we took the Gray Line bus tour of Charleston.  It was really interesting and our tour guide, Kim, was very knowledgeable about the city.  I've been on several of the carriage rides around the city but being January we decided the bus would be warmer.  Here is some of what we saw.

At the visitor's center we bought the Museum Mile Pass.  In January it's $25 per person and covers 13 sites.  After lunch at the Market Street Deli we went to the Confederate Museum.  It is the two story building at the west end of the Market.  (I forgot to get a picture so here's one from their website).

In 1894 the Charleston Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy was founded.  They immediately began to collect relics and the collection grew quickly.  By 1898 this group of ladies became Charleston Chapter #4, United Daughters of the Confederacy.  In 1899 the reunion of the United Confederate Veterans was held in Charleston.  The men decided to help these ladies form a permanent Confederate Museum in Charleston.  A call was sent out asking former soldiers to bring their war-time possessions to the reunion for donation to the new museum.  The enthusiastic response showed that a large building would be needed to house the collection.  Since the Mayor and the city councilmen were all former Confederate soldiers, it was only natural that they selected Market Hall for this purpose.  The same building where they had gone to become young soldiers became the place they brought their relics to be preserved for the future.  The Confederate Museum opened here in 1899.

Next we went to the Old Slave Mart Museum.

This was one of many slave markets in Charleston.  35-40% of slaves coming to the U.S. entered through Charleston.  It was very sobering and slavery was very wrong.

After that we went to the Powder Museum.

Completed in 1713, The Powder Magazine is South Carolina's oldest government building. The building was used as an arsenal from 1713-1748 and during the American Revolution in order to defend the city. After 1780, it was retired, and by the early 19th century, it was privately owned. During this period, The Powder Magazine served as a print shop, livery stable, wine cellar, and carriage house. In 1902, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of South Carolina purchased the building, saving it from demolition. Within a year, it was opened to the public.

On Thursday, January 23 we went back into Charleston to the Joseph Manigault House.

No one else was there so we got a private tour.  It was interesting to learn that dining rooms were a new thing in the early 1800s.  Only the very upper class had them.

This secretary was in Joseph Manigault's office.

This was one of the entry halls and staircase.  All the weight of the staircase is on the bottom step.  The chandelier is a 1930s addition.

This is a gathering room.  The sofa was a new thing from France.

It was common for ladies to entertain other ladies for tea in their bedrooms.  They just didn't have the number of rooms that we have today.

After the tour we went across the street to the Charleston Museum.  There is a history of Charleston from the natives to present day.  There is also a silver and textiles exhibit but we didn't see that.  We spent quite a bit of time there.

This is one of the first sewing machines made.  We've come a lot way.

This is a dress worn by a lady in the 1860s.  It's always amazed me that the dress hoops were so big and the doors were so narrow. 

Out in front of the museum is a replica of the H.L. Hunley.  The replica is actually larger than the original.

After the museum we decided to go back to the campground.  We still have a lot to see so more later.

Roving on...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1