The Wanderings of Windspell: Charleston

We sailed into Charleston past Fort Sumter where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. The next morning we took a tour with a veteran tour guide to get an overview of the city and a rice plantation. The rice plantations were in their hay-day in the early 1800s to mid-1800s, but after the Civil War when there was so much destruction and slavery was abolished, they were no longer viable. Many of the land holdings were sold off to the potash industry. The rice fields of the Magnolia Plantation, which we visited, had reverted back to Cypress swamp. It is now home to alligators and migrating waterfowl. The main house and gardens have been remarkably well preserved, providing a source of tourism today.
We were impressed with the historic city of Charleston. Their strict rules dealing with the preservation of their historic sites made walking through the streets of Charleston an absolute visual delight. It was like walking back in time. The homes had been built by the plantation owners so they had a "town" home in addition to their plantation mansion. We learned how there are single-room houses (1 room wide) and double room houses (2 rooms wide per floor). The advantage of the single-room home meant less frontage on the street so there was less tax to pay. (Some things never change!) All of the porches faced the ocean to catch the prevailing breeze. The homes and gardens were beautifully restored. A visit to historic Charleston city was well worth the visit!