Travel Oracles 50 States: South Carolina
As part of my summer series - Travel Oracles 50 States - I am revisiting each os the fifty American states as an overview on travel culture and history. Today: South Carolina
Joined: South Carolina ceded area to the United States to assume generally the same boundary as the present state; the ceded area became part of the Georgia and Mississippi Territory in 1802. South Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution on May 23, 1788; it was the eighth of the original 13 states to join the Union. South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in 1861 and joined the Confederate Army, but as the war progressed, former slaves and free blacks of South Carolina joined U.S. Colored Troops regiments for the Union Army
Original Indigenous Peoples: The Cherokee, Creek, Cusabo, and Catawba
First Settlers: The first Europeans to visit South Carolina, in 1521, were Spanish explorers from Santo Domingo (Hispaniola). Later it was settled by the English in 1670
History moment: As the eighth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1788. Its early economy was largely agricultural, benefitting from the area’s fertile soil. Plantation farmers relied on the slave trade for cheap labor to maximize profits (leading to Civil War) and by 1730, people of African descent made up two-thirds of the colony’s population. South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in 1861 and was the site of the first shots of the Civil War–the shelling of the federally held Fort Sumter by Confederate troops on April 12, 1861. After capturing Columbia on February 17, 1865, Union soldiers under General William Tecumseh Sherman burned and destroyed more than two-thirds of the city. Due to scarce funding following the war, the new State House was not rebuilt until 1903.
Known for: As the Palmetto State and Low Country, beaches, golf courses, historic districts
Places: Charleston, Beaufort, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Greenville
Movie setting: Glory, The Bog Chill, Shag, The Notebook, The Secret Life of Bees
Musicians from: James Brown, Chubby Checker, Dizzy Gillespie, Eartha Kitt, Darius Rucker
Surprising facts: Charleston welcomed a shipment of golf balls and clubs from Scotland as early as 1743. On September 29, 1786, the South Carolina Golf Club was formed and, within the same year, America’s first golf course was established on Harleston Green. The only commercial tea plantation in the contiguous 48 states is on Wadmalaw Island, near Charleston, South Carolina.
South Carolina's crown jewel is the port city of Charleston. It's one of the South's best-preserved cities, with beautifully restored homes and churches, cobblestone streets, hidden gardens, and a thriving culinary scene. The South Carolina coast also includes family-friendly Myrtle Beach and the gracious Grand Strand. Hilton Head Island's exclusive resorts, excellent golfing, and genteel good life make it one of the coast's most popular getaways. Inland, South Carolina has small-town charm with antiques shops and shady town squares. It is also the home state of late night host Stephen Colbert, and has drawn new famous residents like Bill Murray (See the linked video below of Anthony Bourdain dining with famed local chef Sean Brock and Bill Murray in Charleston) Let’s travel to South Carolina
My Experience: Charleston is one of my favorite cities and I return often for the land, architecture, food and more. The coastline and islands are also beautiful, and both Beaufort, SC and Savannah, GA are just a short drive or train trip away. I have written about it previously here and here. Top things to do in South Carolina
Charleston: Wandering through the city's famous downtown peninsula, it's obvious why filmmakers look to Charleston as a backdrop for historic movies. Dozens of church steeples punctuate the low skyline, and horse-drawn carriages pass centuries-old mansions, their stately salons offering a crystal-laden and parquet-floored version of Southern comfort. Outside, magnolia-filled gardens overflow with carefully tended heirloom plants. At first glance, the city may resemble a 19th-century etching come to life—but look closer and you'll see that block after block of old structures have been restored. Happily, after three centuries of wars, epidemics, fires, and hurricanes, Charleston has prevailed and is now one of the South's best-preserved cities.
Nature: There are ample beautiful beaches, and seven National Parks in South Carolina, including Congaree National Park and Twin Lakes Park
Ranking in US: Per the annual US News report, South Carolina is currently ranked #44 out of 50 in 2021 and in 2019.