Charleston Harbor History
When you visit Charleston, there’s no better way to experience her history than from the decks of a SpiritLine yacht. Discover how the history of the Old South can turn your tour of Charleston harbor into a memorable event.
Join us now for a virtual tour of our historic harbor. Of course, when you visit Charleston, you’ll want to see her for yourself on any one of our three SpiritLine Cruises yachts. Join us for a Harbor Tour, a tour of Fort Sumter, or a romantic dinner cruise.
Along the Historic Ashley River, You’ll See Charleston’s Magnificent Peninsula
Dominating the skyline on Murray Boulevard you’ll see a tall white building. This imposing structure is the Fort Sumter House. Built as the Fort Sumter Hotel, this structure was completed in 1923 and was one of the city's most notable hotels at the time. The building, designed by G. Lloyd Preacher, cost $850,000. In 1974 it was converted to offices and condominiums.
The white steeple you will see in the skyline is St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, one of the oldest churches south of Virginia. Built in 1763 by Samuel Cardy, St. Michael’s played a key part in Charleston’s history. It was used as an observation tower in both the Revolution and the War Between the States.
In the middle of the harbor is a little island called Shute’s Folly Island. It was here that Castle Pinckney stood. Constructed of brick and mortar prior to the war of 1812, Castle Pinckney was the last of several fortifications built on this large marshy island.
Castle Pinckney, named after two signers of the Constitution, was used as a secondary defensive fort, a prison and an artillery position during the conflict of the Civil War.
Of historical significance, On December 27, 1860, one week after South Carolina seceded from the Union, the union sergeant manning Castle Pinckney was forced to surrender and join major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. This makes Castle Pinckney the first Union fort to surrender to a Southern government.
After the first battle of Manassas, members of the 79th New York and other units captured at the battle were held prisoner at Castle Pinckney. When these prisoners were removed, the fort was returned to defensive service.
It is in dispute whether Castle Pinckney ever actually fired a shot … but, had the Federal Navy ever successfully breached the row of three forts at the mouth of the harbor, it would have been one of Charleston’s secondary defensive positions.
After the Civil War, the fort was modernized for possible use during the Spanish-American conflict, but again, it never saw action. It has served as a lighthouse station and storage area.
When you are in Charleston, take time to pay close attention to the seawall around the perimeter of Charleston’s peninsula and High Battery. Few people remember or realize that our beautiful city was shelled every sixteen minutes for 587 days during the Union siege of Charleston.
The cannons on Murray Boulevard and the cannons at White Point Gardens were not positioned exactly as they are today … nor are they the original cannons. The cannons seen today were placed along the Promenade in the 1890’s as a memorial to the War.
When You Motor Along Side the High Battery, on a SpiritLine Yacht, We'll Give You a Brief History of Some of Her Magnificent Homes
One East Battery was built by Louis De Saussure between 1858 and 1861. The house was damaged n February 1865, during the Confederate evacuation of the City, when a large gun at the corner of East Battery and South Battery was blown up. It was damaged severely in the earth-quake of 1886, after which the house was renovated and remodeled by Bernard O'Neill, who added the iron balconies, new windows and door enfacements. This magnificent home is where Mary Boykin Chestnut wrote her famous diaries, published after her death. A Diary from Dixie, is about a southern woman's perspective of the events and people of the Civil War.
The history of the house returns full circle when, in 1926, it was purchased by Mrs. Robert E. Lee, III, wife of the grandson of the distinguished Confederate general. The house is now divided into three residences
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Fort Sumter Tours / Spiritline Cruises Charleston Harbor Boat Tours and Cruises Corporate: 360 Concord St Suite 201, Charleston, SC 29401 |
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