Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston was founded in 1670 and is known for its history, its architecture, its beauty, and its cuisine. It’s a city that I know rather well, since I visited there many times while living in Savannah, Georgia. I love Charleston and was happy that we would spend the day there. Since Tim was less familiar with the city than I, we decided to take the included tour, Panoramic Charleston, in the morning.

A motorcoach is not the best way to see Charleston, but most of the tour, thank goodness, was on foot. We passed many of the city’s historic sites, including the “Four Corners of Law” at the intersection of Meeting and Broad Streets. The four buildings here represent federal law (Federal Courthouse), state law (Charleston County Courthouse), city law (Charleston City Hall), and God’s law (St. Michael’s Episcopal Church).

The Four Corners of Law

We also walked by many Charleston single houses, an iconic architectural style that originated here during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Known for its distinctive narrow profile, this house type is typically only one room wide, with the long side of the house perpendicular to the street. The side door that one sees from the street opens onto a large porch or piazza that stretches the length of the house. The real front door leads from this piazza into the central hall.

Examples of Charleston Single Houses

The highlight of the tour was a visit to the Nathanial Russell House, a house museum operated by Historic Charleston Foundation. This grand townhouse was built in 1808 and is recognized as one of America’s most important neoclassical dwellings. It is known for its amazing, three-story, free-flying staircase, as well as its elegant interiors with elaborate plasterwork.

Nathanial Russell House 

I was encouraged to see that the interpretation of houses like this one has evolved considerably since I lived in the South in the 1980s. Today, our guides included stories not only about Nathanial Russell and his family, but also about the 18 enslaved Africans that lived on and maintained this property and were and integral part of its history. 

After touring the spectacular interior spaces of the main house, we were able to walk into the former kitchen where an ongoing archeological investigation will enable the staff to fully understand, preserve, and accurately interpret the enslaved quarters. The results of this work will enable Historic Charleston Foundation to finally tell the complete history of this important site.

Ongoing Archeological Investigations in the Kitchen

The Gardens at the Nathaniel Russell House

After returning to the ship and grabbing a bite to eat, I set out on foot to visit two other sites in Charleston. Tim decided he’d had enough touring for the day and stayed behind.

Although I had previously visited Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, I decided to stop at the Visitor Center in Liberty Square since it was not far from the ship. Although I didn’t take the boat to Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out on April 12, 1861, I checked out the exhibits. The back deck provided a great view of Charleston Harbor and the beautiful Ravenel Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge of its time in North America when it opened in 2005.

Fort Sumter Visitor Center

From Liberty Square, I walked along the harbor to the new International African American Museum, located on Gadsden’s Wharf, the point of disembarkation for nearly half the Africans enslaved and shipped to the United States during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. This floating, single-story museum is raised 13 feet above the ground on a double row of concrete columns, thereby providing space for a plaza of remembrance, with a reflecting pool representing the souls lost in the passage over the Atlantic Ocean.

Exterior Features of the International African American Museum

The museum exhibits tell the story of how Africans and African Americans, through their labor, resistance, and ingenuity, have shaped every aspect of our world. Although I only had time for a brief visit, I was able to focus on the exhibit and coming-of-age film about the history and contemporary issues facing the Gullah Geechee, a people living in Coastal Georgia whose culture is a blend of African traditions and other influences.

All the exhibits that I raced through were extremely well done, and I would love to return and spend more time viewing them.

Museum Exhibits at the International African American Museum

The walk back to the ship seemed longer than before, but I made it in time to attend the Viking Farewell Reception. I have enjoyed these farewell receptions since they give us a chance to thank the officers and crew for a memorable cruise. This one had more drama, however, than the ones on the Viking Ocean ships. Here, after the captain’s introduction, the screen in the Aula, the ship’s panoramic auditorium, was retracted to reveal the crew standing on the terrace behind the floor-to-ceiling windows. The crew then began to file onto the stage, where they received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Viking Farewell Reception

As we sailed from Charleston Harbor, we passed by Fort Sumter, just as the sun was beginning to set. It was a great day.

Sailing Past Fort Sumter in the Setting Sun