Neighborhoods :
Historic Charleston, SC
Led by Mayor Joe Riley who has shepherded the city since the 1970s, the city of Charleston, also known as Charleston Proper, Historic Charleston and the Holy City, has benefited immeasurably from Riley’s visionary leadership. Charleston began in 1670 in the West Ashley area as Charles Towne. It was moved across the Ashley River to the peninsula (then known as Oyster Point) in 1680. In just 10 years, Charles Towne was the fifth largest North American city. For a time, it was also the capital of South Carolina. The College of Charleston, the oldest college in the state, was founded in 1770. The Citadel Military College began here in 1842.
The Civil War and a number of natural disasters shook the port city’s foundations, but again and again the city rebuilt, seemingly strengthened by each blow. The early decades of the 20th century were difficult for Charleston, but with the coming of World War II, also came a huge investment in the area by the military — and a bolstered economy.
On Mayor Riley’s watch, the city has experienced what is often termed a “modern-day renaissance.” Emphasis has been placed on historic preservation and economic development. Riley has been instrumental in the redevelopment of Charleston and the luring of Boeing and Google to the area. While tourism and the port industries anchor the city, other big Charleston peninsula jobs providers include numerous high-tech businesses, banks, law offices, the Medical University of South Carolina and other educational institutions and healthcare facilities.
Today, Charleston Proper includes two zip codes, covering about 7.2 square miles in total: downtown Charleston’s 29401, the historic tip of the peninsula, and uptown Charleston’s 29403, the also-historic area that runs above Calhoun Street up to the neck of the peninsula. The city’s population in 2009 was just under 50,000. Interstate 95 connects with Interstate 26, whose eastern terminus runs right into the heart of uptown Charleston.
Besides the Charleston’s well-preserved architecture and cobblestone streets, main historic attractions include the High Battery, White Point Gardens and Waterfront Park, all overlooking the Charleston Harbor; also worth visiting are the old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon, the City Market, Dock Street Theatre, historic churches and numerous museums. Cultural attractions include multiple art galleries, music venues and theaters, the Spoleto Festival USA and the South Carolina Aquarium. The dining (choose from upscale, casual, quirky, local, French, Italian, Asian and Southern, just to name a few) and shopping in Charleston are world-renown, and the city is often frequented by famous visitors for this reason. Marion Square hosts a weekly farmers’ market stocked with fresh produce from the county’s surrounding farms, and the Maritime Center features a deepwater marina and event space.
The housing options in Charleston are diverse, from the multimillion-dollar mansions that line lower King and Meeting Streets and the area south of Broad Street (the renovated nine-bedroom, 13-bathroom c. 1808 Sword Gate House on Legare Street listed for $23 million in 2011), to the rapidly redeveloping areas of upper Rutledge Avenue and around Hampton Park, the city has homes to fit most any price points. Homes in Charleston’s 29401 zip code mainly date to the 1700s and 1800s, and many have meticulously maintained gated gardens and yards. The historic properties near the College of Charleston and the Medical University often provide rental housing to students. The 29403 zip code features a mix of classic Charleston singles built in the mid- to late 1800s and bungalow-style homes built in the 1930s and 1940s. Home prices in redevelopment areas start out in the mid-$300,000s for move-in-ready restored homes. Closer to the heart of downtown above Calhoun Street, larger homes can climb to the $800,000 to $1-million range.
