Charleston Raconteurs

03/02/2025

Seeking a cheaper way to move their goods than using the expensive new Santee Canal, landowners in Goose Creek petitioned the State House on March 2, 1786, to create turnpikes and tolls along the Goose Creek Road that ran from Charleston to Wassamassaw to ensure better maintenance of the land route. (Source: Goose Creek: A Definitive History, Volume II, p. 28.)

To learn more about historic events that have happened in March, visit

Charleston Raconteurs in Charleston offers visitors the opportunity to visit historic sites beyond the popular tourist spots.

03/01/2025

Some things that have happened on March 1 in Charleston's history:

1711 -- Because the congregation of St. Philip's Anglican Church was outgrowing its building at the corner of Broad and Meeting streets, the colonial Assembly passed an "Act for Erecting a New Brick Church" on the east side of Church Street, just above Queen Street. (Source: Charleston, Charleston!, p. 31.)

1770 -- A committee appointed by members of the Charleston Library Society made their report recommending that fundraising should be undertaken for the creation of a school, a predecessor of the College of Charleston. (Source: A History of the College of Charleston, p. 11)

See a short history of St. Philip's at

Charleston Raconteurs in Charleston offers visitors the opportunity to visit historic sites beyond the popular tourist spots.

02/27/2025

Shiitake is wondering why nobody wants him 😔

All of his siblings are going to their new homes this weekend but nobody has snatched this cutie pie up yet! He is 8 weeks old today and full of that irresistible puppy energy.

See videos in the comments!

To apply, head to www.carolinacoonhoundrescue.com/adopt

02/22/2025

Some events of Feb. 22 in years past:

1819 -- The Charleston Courier related details about the arrests of John and Lavinia Fisher and their gang at Six Mile House.

1868 -- John G. Grant of Marlboro District filed a petition of bankruptcy in the District Court of the United States, District of South Carolina, in Charleston. Assignees of his estate were to meet at 59 Broad St. on April 1.

This last one resonates with me as John Grant was my 2nd great-grandfather. Please don't judge him too harshly; it's a long story!

02/16/2025

The story of John and Livinia Fisher is among the best known ghost tales in Charleston. But in truth, they were real people who were tried, convicted and executed in Charleston, and today is part of their story.

On Feb. 16, 1819, a group of vigilantes rode out to the Fishers' Five and Six Mile taverns, looking for a gang of suspected robbers. When they found a group they suspected were at Five Mile House, they ordered the suspects out of the building before setting fire to it. As Five Mile House burned to the ground, its smoke could be seen by those at Six Mile House, who escaped into the woods before the cavalcade’s arrival.

You can find the rest of this true story on our website.

Charleston Raconteurs in Charleston offers visitors the opportunity to visit historic sites beyond the popular tourist spots.

02/16/2025

https://schsonline.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/21161

02/16/2025

1941 photograph titled "Digging out a cemetery to be moved from the Santee-Cooper basin, Near Bonneau, South Carolina."

02/16/2025

02/07/2025

ON THIS DATE IN CHARLESTON HISTORY: FEB. 7

On Feb. 7, 1861, in the days leading up to the Civil War, S.C. Gov. Francis Pickens' Washington envoy, Isaac W. Hayne, replied to a letter he had received the day before from U.S. Secretary of War Joseph Holt, saying: "Are you not aware, that to hold in the territory of a foreign power a fortress against her will, avowedly for the purpose of protecting her citizens, is perhaps the highest insult which one government can offer to another? But Fort Sumter was never garrisoned at all until South Carolina had dissolved her connection with your Government. This garrison entered it in the night with every circumstance of secrecy after spiking the guns and burning the gun carriages and cutting down the flag-staff of an adjacent fort which was then abandoned. South Carolina had not taken Fort Sumter into her own possession only because of her misplaced confidence in a government which deceived her." (Source: Confederate South Carolina, p. 20-21)

https://charlestonraconteurs.com/february.html

Charleston Raconteurs in Charleston offers visitors the opportunity to visit historic sites beyond the popular tourist spots.

02/03/2025

Join me and other Lowcountry authors Feb. 15, 1 p.m., on the Lowcountry Stars Stage at the Summerville Book Festival. I'll have copies of my three books -- Charleston Then & Now, Lost Charleston, and Storied & Scandalous Charleston -- and will be happy to sign copies.

Books will be available for sale with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Timrod Library. Learn more at https://mainstreetreads.com/summerville-book-festival-2025/

01/12/2025

So for anyone who might be just sitting around and wondering, here are a few things that have taken place on Jan. 12 in Charleston's history:

1723 -- Sir William Rhett, a colonial leader and captain who captured the notorious Stede Bonnet and other pirates, died.

1760 -- A punishing smallpox epidemic broke out in Charleston.

1773 -- The forerunner of The Charleston Museum was founded as one of the first, and perhaps even the first depending on how one defines it, public museum in the colonies.

Learn more about these events at https://charlestonraconteurs.com/stede-bonnet.html and https://charlestonraconteurs.com/pirates.html and https://charlestonraconteurs.com/historic-epidemics.html

Charleston Raconteurs in Charleston offers visitors the opportunity to visit historic sites beyond the popular tourist spots.

01/10/2025

Jan. 9, 1861, the day many credit with being the real start of the Civil War. Read more in this week's Do You Know Your Lowcountry column in the Post and Courier:
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/civil-war-start-fort-sumter-historian/article_b4f63ccc-c918-11ef-a4eb-8fbae214b799.html

If you are not a subscriber (and I hope you are!) and have trouble with this link, please let me know and I will try to get you a copy.

Most say the Civil War began April 12, 1861, with the first shots fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. But many historians say it began months earlier.

01/05/2025

On Jan. 3, 1918 Mary Storfer, the new proprietress of the Timrod Inn, announced in the News and Courier: "Many people have told us that the Timrod Inn fills a distinct place in the community, and indications are that our rooms will be in demand from the beginning. We shall open Monday morning and guests will be given desirable accommodations without delay."

01/05/2025

Recycle your Christmas tree! 🌲

It's almost time to take down the holiday decorations, so instead of tossing out the tree, donate it to the Animal Forest! The animals love to hide under them, roll on them, and play with them! The goats and bison even like to eat them!

✅ Trees must still be green.

✅ Tree must be free of all decorations, lights and tinsel.

✅ No artificial trees or trees that have been sprayed with chemicals can be accepted.

Donations can be dropped off in the bus parking
area during park hours.

Call (843) 852-4200 for directions!

01/05/2025

The Charleston 350 Commemoration

Charleston doesn't require archeological research during excavation of sites in the area of Colonial settlement, other important history of the old walled city.

01/28/2024

When reading, we don't fall in love with the characters' appearance. We fall in love with their words, their thoughts, and their hearts. We fall in love with their souls.
~ Anonymous

01/28/2024

11/27/2023

Yea! I just submitted the final line edits to this morning for my next book, a rewrite of the classic Charleston Then & Now. It won't arrive until spring 2024, but if you'd like to pre-order it as a Christmas gift, you can do so now at https://www.amazon.com/Charleston-Then-Now-Leigh-Handal/dp/1911663453/ref=sr_1_4?adgrpid=1332609329028498&hvadid=83288280059391&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=64210&hvlocphy=64210&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83288960332794%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=15303_13518545&keywords=charleston+then+and+now&qid=1701123550&s=books&sr=1-4
So excited!!

Charleston Then and Now