Charleston, South Carolina

Modern-day Charleston

Charlestonians today fondly refer to their city as The Holy City, and describe it as the site where the "Ashley and Cooper Rivers merge to form Charleston Harbor which turns into the Atlantic Ocean."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

America's most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, has recognized the city ever since 1995 as the "best-mannered" city in the U.S, a claim lent credence by the fact that it has the only Livability Court in the country.

Related Topics:
Etiquette - Marjabelle Young Stewart - 1995 - Livability Court

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charleston is a tourist mecca, with streets lined with grand live oaks draped with Spanish moss. Along the waterfront are many beautiful and historic pastel-colored homes. It's also a busy port, though the majority of the larger container ships are now docking at the Wando Terminal in Mount Pleasant. The Wando River and the Cooper River meet at the Southern point of Daniel Island. The new Arthur Ravenel, Jr. bridge across the Cooper River opened on July 16, 2005. It is the largest cable-stayed bridge in the Americas, (External link: http://www.cooperriverbridge.org/). It replaces The Silas N. Pearman Bridge built in 1966 and The Grace Memorial Bridge built in 1929. These were the largest Continuous-Truss Type Bridges in the World. Demolition of these two bridges began in August, immediately following the opening of the Ravenel Bridge, and will be completed by the summer of 2006.

Related Topics:
Tourist - Live oaks - Spanish moss - Mount Pleasant - Daniel Island - The Americas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charleston annually hosts Spoleto Festival USAhttp://www.spoletousa.org/, as well as the Southeastern Wildlife Expositionhttp://www.sewe.com/, the Family Circle Tennis Cuphttp://www.familycirclecup.com/, and the Cooper River Bridge Runhttp://www.bridgerun.com/. Nature lovers may visit the South Carolina Aquarium, the Audubon Swamp Garden, or Cypress Gardenshttp://www.cypressgardens.org/. History buffs can visit the Old Exchange Building, Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter, Patriot's Point (home to the USS Yorktown), or any of the several beautiful former slave plantations such as Boone Hall Plantation, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place.

Related Topics:
Spoleto Festival USA - Southeastern Wildlife Exposition - Cooper River Bridge Run - South Carolina Aquarium - Audubon Swamp Garden - Cypress Gardens - Old Exchange Building - Fort Moultrie - Fort Sumter - Patriot's Point - USS Yorktown - Slave - Plantation - Boone Hall Plantation - Magnolia Plantation - Middleton Place

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston in 1989, damaging three-quarters of the homes in Charleston's historic district. The hurricane caused over $2.8 billion in damage.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Hugo - 1989

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2004, SPAWAR (US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command) became the largest employer in the Charleston metropolitan area. Until 2004, the Medical University of South Carolina was the largest employer.

Related Topics:
SPAWAR - US Navy - Medical University of South Carolina

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charleston is served by Charleston International Airport.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charleston's port is also the second-largest container port in the nation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~