2016’s Annual Meeting is coming up so we thought we’d share some history about Charleston, South Carolina!

Think you know your history….how about history originating from 1670?  Charleston, South Carolina’s origins began that year and have been multi-layered ever since.  From being the leading city in the south during colonial times, Charleston was the wealthiest and largest city south of Philadelphia. The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter by Citadel cadets and the H.L. Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship but promptly sank and was not recovered for 137 years.

In addition to military history, George Gershwin composed Porgy and Bess while living nearby and Porgy and Bess are buried on James Island. The first game of golf in America was played here. Charleston was the first city to have a theater, which exists today and is said to be the most haunted place in the city. We will be visiting the Charleston Museum, which was the first established museum in the United States in 1773. There is an excellent exhibit of the history of rice production and a replica of the Hunley out front.

In addition to its history, Charleston is known for its historic preservation of architecture. There are over 2,000 preserved and restored buildings; 70 are pre-Revolutionary era with 130 dating from the 1700s and 600 from the early 1800s.  After a full day of history, a visit to well-known southern cooking restaurants is called for in the most polite and hospitable city in America. Please join us for an enjoyable visit to this coastal city.