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Offered languages
- English
Discover the history, architecture and culture of Charleston with a local guide. We will cover 350 years of history in a 2 hour stroll through the cobblestone streets and alleys of the old walled city district. You will see many historic attractions along the way as we discuss the history from the founding in 1670, religious diversity, wars, fires, hurricanes, Gullah/Geechee Culture, economic swings to current growth and expansion.
Charleston has more than tripled it's population in the last 25 years. Most walking tour and carriage tour guides are "from off", meaning they are new to Charleston. All Charleston Perspective walking tour guides are locals, born and raised in our Lowcountry. We will give you a unique perspective to this centuries old colonial town.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We will meet on the steps of the US Custom House
The tour will end in the courtyard of 86 Church Street.
Itinerary
-
1
We will meet on the steps of the US Custom House located at 200 East Bay Street.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2
We will walk down Philadelphia Alley and discuss the brick making industry and the enslaved brick masons who built the centuries old structures of Charleston.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3
We will discuss the religious freedom in Charleston from it's founding in 1670. We will also discuss the history of the founders and the structure.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
We will discuss the French Huguenot history in Charleston beginning in 1685, and the history and architecture of the structure.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
We will discuss the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Rice Culture, the Gullah/Geechee culture and the African American history in Charleston, standing outside the structure on Chalmers Street.
15 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
6
The People's Building was built in 1911 as a business office to try and rebuild the failing economy in Charleston from the time of the Civil War. It sparked a Preservation Movement to preserve and restore the centuries old structures in Charleston, which is still active today. We will stand outside the building while we talk about the Preservation Movement history.
10 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
(Pass by)
Oak Steakhouse is a restaurant housed in a historic structure on Broad Street with exposed brick walls and original heart pine flooring. We will pass through Four Post Alley on the west side of the building.
Admission ticket free -
7Rainbow Row
We will see iconic Rainbow Row and discuss the history of the buildings, the bustling waterfront port and the role of Charleston in the Revolutionary War.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8
Charleston was a walled city from 1680-1725. Recent archaeology has uncovered a massive foundation that still exists beneath the surface of modern day Charleston.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9
We will see the fortifications surrounding Charleston Harbor including Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, Fort Johnson, Fort Moultrie, Fort Wagner, High Battery, Low Battery. We will discuss Charleston during the Civil War.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10
We will pass through Stolls Alley and discuss the role of the Freed men and women in early Charleston history.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
First Baptist Church is the Mother Church of the Southern Baptists, founded in 1685. The structure there today was built in 1822 by Robert Mills, first native-born American Architect. He was the architect for the Washington Monument in DC, the Fireproof Building in Charleston, and many other monuments and courthouses up and down the eastern seaboard.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
The Heyward Washington House is an impressive pre-Revolutionary War museum house. Built in 1771 by Thomas Heyward, signer of the Declaration of Independence. It is flanked by two low rent tenement buildings dating from 1750s and 1780s. The 1780s structure is the setting for the book "Porgy" written by Dubose Heyward in 1925. Gershwin came to Charleston in 1935 and the opera "Porgy and Bess" was created from the book.
Admission ticket free -
11
We will end the tour in the courtyard of 86 Church Street.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
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Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Show more
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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