Charleston South Carolina And The Lowcountry

2020 George C. Rogers Jr. Award Finalist, best book of South Carolina history A study of Charleston's topographic evolution, its history of flooding, and efforts to keep residents dry and safe The signs are there: our coastal cities are increasingly susceptible to flooding as the climate changes. Charleston, South Carolina, is no exception, and is one of the American cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels. Lowcountry at High Tide is the first book to deal with the topographic evolution of Charleston, its history of flooding from the seventeenth century to the present, and the efforts made to keep its populace high and dry, as well as safe and healthy. For centuries residents have made many attempts, both public and private, to manipulate the landscape of the low-lying peninsula on which Charleston sits, surrounded by wetlands, to maximize drainage, and thus buildable land and to facilitate sanitation. Christina Butler uses three hundred years of archival records to show not only the alterations to the landscape past and present, but also the impact those efforts have had on the residents at various socio-economic levels throughout its history. Wide-ranging and thorough, Lowcountry at High Tide goes beyond the documentation of reclamation and filling and offers a look into the life and the history of Charleston and how its people have been affected by its unique environment, as well as examining the responses of the city over time to the needs of the populace. Butler considers interdisciplinary topics from engineering to public health, infrastructure to class struggle, and urban planning to civic responsibility in a study that is not only invaluable to the people of Charleston, but for any coastal city grappling with environmental change. Illustrated with historical maps, plats, and photographs and organized chronologically and thematically within chapters, Lowcountry at High Tide offers a unique look at how Charleston has kept—and may continue to keep—the ocean at bay.

In this elegant hardbound volume, photographers Steve Gross and Susan Daley take you on an intimate tour of some of the finest historic homes, gardens, churches, and plantations of the old city of Charleston and its surrounding Lowcountry. Their luminescent photographs reveal an insider's look at the definitive architecture and landscape of the region, ranging from private gardens hidden behind wrought iron gates to some of America's first landscaped garden vistas. From colonial-era French Quarter homes to Federal and Greek Revival townhouses and antebellum plantation houses, the selection featuring old family, private homes to museum showplaces make this an essential book for visitors, architects, preservationists or armchair travelers. Photographers Steve Gross and Susan Daley specialize in photographing interiors and the architecture of the changing American landscape. They are the coauthors of ten previous books on the various styles of American homes and design, including Creole Houses, Old Florida, and most recently Farmhouse Revival and The Creative Cottage. Their work has been published extensively in magazines around the world and is in private collections including the Smithsonian Institution

Charleston is a city apart; a world unto itself. Seated serenely on the coast, buffered from the Atlantic by wild, sandy barrier islands and held in the cradle of the Carolina Lowcountry, Charleston is regarded as America's most polite city; a cultural capital of Southern hospitality and charm. Graced with beautifully preserved historic buildings and ancient moss-draped trees, Charleston, South Carolina and the Lowcountry: A Photographic Portrait, unveils a whole new view of the many facets of one of the loveliest gems in the American treasury.

THE LOWCOUNTRY: FROM CHARLESTON TO SAVANNAH travels through the history, culture, and geography of the 100-mile stretch of coast between South Carolina and Georgia. With two of the country's most historically rich cities flanking this region, the history documenting this area illustrated with vibrant color photography, runs from enchanting to eccentric, and easily builds the case for a modern-day tourist destination that attracts more than 30 million visitors a year. Award-winning photographer Bob Krist and travel writer Cecily McMillan explore everything from architecture and city planning to the coastal scenery and world-renowned golf courses of the region, including the famed Parris and Hilton Head islands. LOW COUNTRY is a stunning modern-day illustrated narrative of one of the country's most historically flamboyant regions.

Architecture has been defined as "the gift of one generation to the next." In the South Carolina Low Country the gift is a particularly precious one-a rich treasure of buildings that not only charm us with their graceful beauty, but offer us a glimpse into a vanished world of prosperous plantations and provincial aristocracy.

Charleston, a living museum of Southern culture, is famous for its charm, Lowcountry cuisine, unique architectural stylings, and leisurely pace of life. A side of Charleston that many tourists do not witness and explore, the African-American community is a vibrant part of the Charleston identity, having shaped the Holy CityAa's very essence since the days of slavery.

"All photographs [but one] reproduced in this book have been taken from actual stereoviews published between 1860 and 1920."--p. [8].

Cobblestone streets leading to perfectly preserved historic homes. Intricate wrought-iron gates opening to lush, fragrant gardens. A skyline of steeples and a river harbor bustling with schooners and sailboats. Charleston is one of America's most charming cities. In vibrant watercolors and detailed sketches, artist Diana Gessler captures the beauty and riches that make Charleston so unique: White Point Gardens, the Spoleto Festival, Rainbow Row, Waterfront Park, Fort Moultrie, the beaches of Sullivan's Island, sumptuous Lowcountry cuisine, and handmade sweetgrass baskets. Full of fascinating details--on everything from the art of early entertaining, the city's inspired architectural and garden designs, and George Washington's Southern tour to famous Charlestonians and the flags of Sumter--Very Charleston celebrates the city, the Lowcountry, the people, and our history. Hand-lettered and full color throughout, Very Charleston includes maps, an index, and a handy appendix of sites. With her cheerful illustrations and love for discovering little-known facts, Diana Gessler has created both an entertaining guide and an irresistible keepsake for visitors and Charlestonians alike.

Italians in the Lowcountry is the first book to explore the contributions and legacies of the Italian and Italian American community in Charleston, South Carolina. The book was graciously supported by the Dante Alighieri Society of Charleston. Italians in the Lowcountry utilizes historic documentation, images, and interviews to add the important and diverse stories and experiences of Charleston's Italians and Italian Americans to the city's historical narrative. It chronicles the Italian experience in from the colonial era to the present, with biographical sketches of noteworthy Italians, discussion of ethnic communities and businesses throughout the city's history, and the contributions and the current Italian community in the greater Charleston area in the present. A preface from Cristiano Musillo, Consul General of Italy in Miami, and a section on the Spoleto Festival featuring interviews from former Mayor Joseph P. Riley and General Director Nigel Redden, highlight the important cultural contributions that continue today.