Charleston – The Best Mannered City in South Carolina

Recognized as the “best-mannered” city, Charleston is a city in Charleston county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, Charleston is also known as The Holy City because of the prominence of churches on the low-rise cityscape. It is one of the finest-looking cities in the US and has interesting places to visit, with its historic district lined with tall, narrow houses of peeling, multicolored stucco, adorned with wooden shutters and ironwork balconies wrought by slaves from Barbados. The palm trees, a tropical climate and easygoing atmosphere gives a Caribbean feel, while the town’s pretty hidden gardens and leafy patios evoke New Orleans.

A Group of English aristocrat founded the city in 1670 as a specifically money-making venture. Right from the start Charleston had a mixed population, with immigrants including French, Germans, Jews, Italians and Irish, as well as the English majority and became the region’s dominant town, a commercial and cultural center. The town had a sizeable free black community too.

In 1861 there was Civil War in Charleston at Fort Sumter in the harbor and there was fire destroying large chunks. In February 1865 more damage was inflicted when it was taken by Union troops. As the upcountry industrialized, capital steadily deserted the city, and it only really recovered when World War II restored its importance as a port and naval base.