43 Meeting.

One of the perks of my job is that I get to see a lot of fancy private homes in Charleston. One of the houses that keeps finding its way into my work is the James Mitchell House at 43 Meeting Street. The house was on tour in the fall, and then used again for a reception for the recent Vitruviana symposium. I have now been in the house three times, and I would happily take any opportunity to return.

The house was built circa 1798 and is a typical Charleston single house. It has been through many alterations in its life, and at one time was bright pink and lacking a piazza. The house recently underwent a massive preservation effort that restored the piazza and returned it to a historic coloration, among other expansive tasks. The recent project earned the house a 2013 Carolopolis award recognizing it as a preservation success.

Maybe it is because I have gotten to see this house multiple times, but I do love it. I have some sort of attachment to it, as if I have an insider connection to the building. But I feel a similar claim to many of the houses I have written on in Charleston - I've just been lucky enough to also see this one.

Lois Lane Properties did a blog post on this house in March, which provides additional information and images, including pictures before and after various renovations and preservation projects. I strongly encourage you to CLICK HERE and take a look.

The Baptist Catholic, or the Catholic Baptist.

The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist sits on Broad Street. My work parking spot used to be in their lot, but I recently was moved to a neighboring space. Regardless of my assigned parking location, I see this cathedral just about every day. It is beautiful, large, and different. The brown exterior is different from the typical quite or gray church buildings found on the peninsula. The interior is grand, and reminded me of visits to old gothic cathedrals in Europe. It is much more elaborately embellished than churches I have experienced most, a reminder that I am a protestant. But buildings like this make the art history major in me wake up. Somehow I have managed to get used to the beautiful architecture of Charleston. I look at these buildings without really seeing them, but this is one worth seeing.

I do frequently have trouble remembering what denomination this church belongs to. I know if I really thought about it, it should be obvious that this building is Catholic. But it's the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, so I tend to think of this as a Baptist church. It most definitely isn't. It's a Catholic church named for a Baptist. Or something like that.

Getting Over It.

I mentioned in a previous blog post that I was preparing for the Cooper River Bridge Run. Today was race day and I successfully completed my first 10K. Before today, the most I had run was maybe 5.5 miles, so 6.2 felt like a lot. But I did it and I was able to run the whole way.

This is the pre-race picture. If you can't tell, it's still dark outside. The race started at 8:00, but with 40,000 in attendance, we had to get to the starting point rather early. I don't remember the last time I woke up at 4:30, and I don't plan to do it again any time soon. It was kind of nice to watch the sunrise, but not that nice. The race was fun, and it was nice to feel like a part of Charleston. People come from all over to run this race - the winner was from Ethiopia - but I felt like I had an advantage being local. I'd run over the bridge before. I got to run through areas of downtown that I don't frequently see, but that I am familiar with. I knew my way around the area after I finished. I don't think I'll sign up to do another 10K in the immediate future, but I am really glad I ran the bridge today.

Burbage's.

Corner grocery stores and shops are quite a trend in Charleston. I lived above one in the fall and it was really convenient. If I woke up and realized my milk had expired, I could just go downstairs and buy a new carton before work. A lot of the shops have closed or been converted into residential only buildings, but a number of them still function as groceries scattered about the peninsula.

Many of the old grocery stores were owned and operated by German immigrants and their families. Burbage's is no exception. It stands on the corner of Savage and Broad Streets, and it is the only corner grocery store that still exists south of Broad. It is just a short walk from the Preservation Society so today I walked over for lunch. They sell sandwiches, chips, drinks, and some produce - typical small grocery store items. I have read some on the Burbage family in my research for work so it was fun to finally see the shop, and it was a nice excuse to get away from my desk on a warm spring day.

The prankster Andrea Palladio.

Next weekend is the Vitruviana symposium hosted by a number of history and preservation minded groups including Drayton Hall (below) and the Preservation Society. While I haven't been involved with any of the planning, I've posted a few things on the society's Facebook and I am looking forward to attending some of the lectures.

I am rarely reminded of the fact that I work for a preservation organization without a preservation degree. One of the times that it seems most apparent, however, is when referring to specific elements or periods of architecture. I frequently lack the ability to describe the specifics of an architectural trend. When mentioning the Vitruviana conference, someone recently asked me what Palladian architecture was. My response? "Architecture inspired by the drawings of Andrea Palladio." Helpful...

Palladian architecture is considered to be classical architecture. It values symmetry and balance, and was inspired by the classic designs of ancient Greece and Rome. My favorite part of the classical importance of symmetry is the trend of false doors. Many Palladian and Adamesque (more neoclassical) have fake doors that never open and have nothing behind them. This is because of the need for symmetry. If it a room has an entrance on the left side, it better have a door on the right. It amuses me to think of people sitting around debating the need for an extra non-functional doorway. I appreciate visual balance, but for some reason I really find these door embellishments to be quite entertaining. 

Maybe it is because they are absolutely, without a doubt, purely decorative. And I can just hear the 18th-century accents discussing decorations. "This would make a nice big wall to hang a fine tapestry." "No, I disagree. Instead of room for a tapestry, let's add a false door. That will fool everyone." It's like the architects were playing tricks on their guests with an extra door. How clever, Andrea Palladio. How clever.

Southern Surprises at Church.

This morning I attended Circular Congregational Church. It was founded in 1681 as a diverse congregation that believed in equality. The church today still holds strong to these values, and is vocal about the importance of inclusion of all people regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or any other social category.

When describing the Old South, the adjective "progressive" is not usually the first to come to my mind. Participating in worship today was a refreshing reminder that the South is filled with many types of communities, not all of which fill the stereotypes and ideologies that frequently are associated with the region. I have attended Christian services where leaders spoke of acceptance towards the gay community, but never one where the conversation was quite so blunt and honest about the needs for the church to participate in the fight for equality. I did not expect to have that experience in downtown Charleston, but I am very glad that I did.

A Preservationist.

People don't always know what exactly it means to work for a preservation society. To be honest, I wouldn't have known what it meant eight months ago. Some people think I work in reality, buying and selling historic houses. At least once I was asked if I work in construction. Walking down Broad Street, I noticed this man working on the mansard roof of an old home. I don't physically preserve any buildings. I don't even work in advocacy, so I frequently feel distanced from the actual work of preservationists. I rarely even get to touch the historic buildings, and it doesn't happen because I was invited to do so as I assume this man was.

I couldn't help but wonder if he has any since of his role as a preservationist. 

Hampstead Village, Charleston and London.

Each year the Preservation Society chooses what we call Seven to Save. The list is seven sites in the Charleston area that are in desperate need of preservation. One of the 2013 sites is Hampstead Mall, a grass public space that sits in a larger neighborhood. The neighborhood of Hampstead Village was laid out by Henry Laurens in the 17th century, modeled after the typical English village design. The Mall has been split apart by roads and is in a general state of disrepair, but the society is hopeful that it can be restored to its original function as a community space.

Hampstead Heath, London

In an effort to gather up as much information about Hampstead Mall and Hampstead Village in Charleston, I was asked to look and see if there was a Hampstead in England. This assignment has been fun for me; in 2011 I had an internship at an art gallery called Printroom located in Hampstead Village, London. I have spent time at comparing historic and current maps of Hampstead, looking at drawings of the heath, and on Google Street View examining the buildings - and generally being nostalgic. 

It felt like Ireland.

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. Since being in the Lowcountry, I had heard that Savannah knew how to celebrate March 17th. Somehow it had never been mentioned that Charleston had a Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

Photo Credit: Paul Saylors

Around 10:00 I could hear bagpipes so I went to the office that overlooks King Street to watch the festivities. It was a rather short parade, though it included at least three different groups of bagpipers. After spending some time looking into the Irish immigrants in Charleston, it was neat to watch the parade and see the different participating groups and organizations that I have learned about in my research.

The cold rain felt appropriate for the day; hot and sunny just wouldn't be very Irish.

Ghost signs and a long lost past.

I have walked by this sign countless times. I was aware of it, but had never really stopped to truly notice it. This time, I took a picture.

This "ghost sign" for Southern Furniture Co. decorates the side of a building on King Street. Painted on murals were common at one time, but many have since faded away from buildings. I love the look of a faded advertisement like this one, but I know that if nothing is done to maintain, restore, or preserve the painting, it will soon disappear completely. The sign reminded me of this article published by the Salisbury Post, discussing the preservation efforts taken to revive the fading murals of Salisbury. In a world of digital media, iPhones, and overwhelmingly instant technology, these old painted advertisements remind me of simpler days. They hold a romanticized nostalgia of a past I never experienced: when billboards were painted not printed, when locally owned stores sold quality products made in America, and when Coca-Cola only cost five cents.

The South Carolina Palmetto.

The South Carolina state flag features the palmetto tree and a crescent moon, but Charleston is the only place in the state where the palmetto grows. I have a complicated relationship with the palmetto. On one hand I like it because it is such a vacation-beach tree. On the other, I am not a big fan because I cannot understand that any season besides summer could exist in a location with palmettos. While Charleston is generally quite warm and I will argue did not have an autumn, it did have a winter. Palmetto trees covered in ice and snow are just confusing.

I was relatively sure that I remembered the significance of the palmetto, but I looked it up just to make sure. The walls of Fort Moultrie - a nearby fort on Sullivan's Island - were built of palmetto trees. During the Revolution, British cannons seemed to just bounce off of the rubbery palmettos, helping protect the Charleston area. The flag was later designed by war hero William Moultrie, and it pays homage to the tree that defended the land. 

On most days, I enjoy seeing palmetto trees scattered around downtown, along the battery, and randomly growing in my suburban neighborhood (like this one). They remind me that I am in Charleston and in the South. It just needs to be hot for me to fully accept their presence. But I will probably regret saying that in a few weeks time. 

The graveyard of angels.

When I came back to Charleston in January I had a great plan to visit different historic churches on Sunday mornings. I thought that attending worship in the various sanctuaries of downtown would be the perfect way to experience the Holy City. Two months in, I have yet to attend a Sunday morning worship service. But today was Ash Wednesday, and I went to church.

I decided to pick a church close to where I park for work (which happens to be in a church parking lot, though not the one I attended). Charleston has an intersection known as the Four Corners of Law. The buildings that stand at the corners of Meeting and Broad Streets represent federal law (post office), state law (courthouse), local/city law (city hall), and ecclesiastical law (St.  Michael's Episcopal Church). This is where I attended an Ash Wednesday service.

I had an hour of time between work and church, and I spent some of the time wandering around their graveyard. They boast the burial spots of some big Charleston names including John Rutledge and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, but those were not the stones that caught my attention.

This small stone in the walkway grabbed my curiosity. I know that the church is St. Michael's, but I believe that the Saint and the Archangel aren't one in the same. Besides, why do angels need grave stones? There was another stone simply labeled "All Angels," and then another for The Archangel Raphael. These were the only three I saw, but there may have been more. I have never noticed a marker of this sort, and I am intrigued. I am legitimately curious to know the reason behind these markers, so if you have any insight please let me know. Maybe these angels just help keep the Holy City holy. 

My favorite things.

There is a building that sits on the corner of Queen and Church Streets; this building is one of my favorites in all of Charleston. I take a picture of it almost every time I walk by.

I know very little about this brick and stucco building, but I always enjoy seeing it. I point it out to whomever I am with. I get excited whenever I realize my path will take me past the structure. And I want to touch it. I know that statement may sound odd, but I have a thing for texture. My mom and I have noted before that we are drawn to works of art that make us want to touch them, to feel the paint or fiber under our fingertips. I have the same reaction to this building that I do to thick oil covering a canvas. The uneven stucco that reveals brick below appeals to my sense of touch as well as sight; it looks gritty, abrasive, and unfinished. I love it. The pleasant blue juts out from the red and neutral walls, creating thematic focal points within the sea of construction materials.

I have not looked into the story behind this building. I almost don't care to know. It is a part of Dock Street Theater, but that is essentially all that I can tell you of its history. I do know that every day I get to see this building is a good day.

Friday evening with Pat.

As soon as I came to Charleston, people started asking me if I have read any of Pat Conroy's books. I not-so-recently began reading The Lords of Discipline and I stayed in tonight to continue. 

The Lords of Discipline tells the story of a cadet at the Citadel during the 1960s. It discusses the South, issues of race, old Charleston families, relationships, and growing up, all through the eyes of a young Irish Catholic. The page I photographed here struck me in its discussion of exploring downtown, specifically the area known as South of Broad. I have spent a fair amount of time wandering these same streets in an effort to find familiarity and adventure in the old houses and gardens of the historic neighborhoods. Conroy does a wonderful job capturing the curiosity of Charleston and the great concern people have in maintaining the beauty of the city. "There was no such thing as an insignificant detail, and everything had a name." There may not be a more fitting way to describe this place.

The corner of King and Queen.

I decided that I should explain why I am in Charleston and what I am doing while here. 

In August I was hired by the Preservation Society of Charleston for a ten week internship to help with The Fall Tours. The Tours run throughout the month of October and are the largest annual event and fundraiser for the society. I helped research the tours, prepare historic information, and carry out the event in October. My favorite part of working with the tours was getting to prepare the historical narratives on the featured houses. There were 20 tours, each with five to eight properties, and I got to write the histories for each of the houses. The histories were given to volunteer docents who then presented the information to the tour guests. I helped prepare the research that was provided on the tours and heard by thousands of people. In addition, I got to see quite a few private homes and gardens in Charleston, which aren't typically accessible by the public. Upon the completion of my ten weeks, they asked me to return in January. I happily said yes and have been busy working to prepare the 2014 tours.

And my office is right downtown, on the corner of King and Queen Streets. Doesn't that sound fancy?

It rained today.

Rain fell at a constant pace, not quite a pour but more than a light sprinkle. The sky turned to a dull shade of gray frequently associated with the skies of the United Kingdom. The sunny warmth of yesterday was long gone, so I spent my afternoon in the Charleston Museum.

I apologize for the questionable quality of this photograph; it is hard to take a sharp picture when the objects of choice sit behind glass. The Charleston Museum has a textile gallery which currently features an exhibit titled "Quintessential Quilts." The display includes many completed quilts, but I was drawn to this small introductory display case. I liked the  mix of shapes, patterns, and levels of completion, but I think the real reason that I admired this case was the two round pieces shown at the bottom. 

As a child, my parents' bed was topped with a family quilt. I cannot remember now if that particular quilt was made by my mother or by her mother, as we have quilts from both of them, but I know it was made by one of the two. The quilt features a similar pattern to these pieces shown here, and I will always find comfort in that design. Some patches have a dark green background with sheep scattered on top - my favorite pieces. Sick, scared, or simply not wanting to be alone, childhood Rachel found sleeping to be easier when snuggled under her parent's quilt.

Beach breezes.

At least 360 days of the year, I prefer the mountains to the beach. I crave the mountains the way a North Carolinian craves Cheerwine. There is something magical in a jagged skyline that simply feels like home.

Today, standing along the battery, inhaling comforting sea air and exhaling my stress and anxiety, I couldn't have imagined wanting to be anywhere but here. In Charleston. Charleston, a coastal city where the land is flat, mountains are miles away, and the uneven bricks are the most elevation change one experiences on a two hour walk. Charleston, where February feels like summer. Charleston, where I have learned to love sea food because I get to experience it fresh. Charleston, where the sound of ships in the harbor is no longer startling. Charleston, a city built on filled in marshlands, dependent on barriers that distinguish the sea from the land.

Charleston.

A new idea.

This morning I set out to walk Church Street, East Battery, East Bay, and Broad Street in downtown Charleston to take pictures of some houses I am researching. It was a beautiful day and I found myself taking as many pictures on my phone as I did on the camera for work. Then I had an idea. To both encourage myself to take more pictures and to share some of my pictures with others, I am going to post a picture a day. This may quickly actually turn into a picture every other day, or a picture a week, but it is a good goal to have. I also may not actually end up taking a new picture every day but I days like today will provide plenty of options for the future. It would have been nice if I had thought of this when I first came to Charleston in September or at least when I returned in January, but there's nothing wrong with starting on February 24th. Enjoy.

Here we have half of the William Roper House (left) and half of the house beside it.* Both of these houses survived the Civil War, and records suggest that the people of Charleston gathered on the rooftops and piazzas (what Charleston calls porches) of these homes to view the bombing of Fort Sumter. The green shutters and ironwork of the Roper House captured my interest as soon as I came to Charleston. The house stands out against the stuccoed buildings of the historic district. I also love the story of the house. Looking at it one would never know, but resting among the roof beams is a 500 pound cannon fragment, an artifact of the Civil War. The cannon is so large that is has never been removed. 

*The house to the right is the William Ravenel House. Ravenel gained his pre-Civil War wealth as a shipping merchant and a planter. The house was damaged during the earthquake of 1886, and some of the destroyed columns were never replaced.