| The Battery - Charleston, SC | ||||||||||
Battery Park in Charleston.One of the best spots to get to know Charleston, South Carolina is Battery Park. This lovely spot on the waterfront features southern mansions, cannons, cannon balls, oak trees, palmettos, statues, a gazebo, and incredible views of Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, and the Sullivan Island Lighthouse. Touring Charleston is exhausting due to the sheer numbers of historic places and sights to see. When you need to take a breather, head on over to this beautiful park. You’ll be able to relax but you won’t get a complete respite from history as Battery Park has a significant past of its own including prominence in several wars and legendary pirates. In addition, gorgeous mansions lining the harbor remind you of yesteryear. Take a stroll along this waterfront park and imagine the battles that occurred across the harbor. It’s fun to look at the cannons and speculate whether these were used in overtaking the fort from the Union forces. In reality, the cannons here were out of range of Fort Sumter and were not used during the attack. Battery Park is also known as White Point Gardens. White Point gets its name from the piles of bleached oyster shells. This point was occupied by Fort Broughton and Fort Wilkins during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In fact, the cannons were placed in the Battery in response to the War of 1812 intended to defend Charleston as a last defense. Battery Park opened as a public park in 1837 however its use changed during the Civil War. The Ashley and Cooper rivers border the park that stretches along the waterfront of the Charleston peninsula. Today, the cannons and piles of cannon balls remain making it a fun stop for families and tourists alike to explore and relax. The area is kid-friendly with climbing on the cannons and piles of cannonballs a popular diversion. During the evacuation of Charleston, the Confederates didn’t want their ammunition to get into enemy hands so they exploded tons of munitions here. One mishap involved a giant Blakely gun that exploded and sent a huge piece of shrapnel through the roof of the Thomas Roper House which remains lodged in the rafters today. In addition to the wartime history of the Battery, White Point has a history of pirates. Dozens of pirates were hanged from oak trees and gallows in the early 1700s and left dangling from their nooses for days as a deterrent to prevent other pirates from entering Charleston Harbor. Legends abound about sunken treasure just waiting to be discovered in the waters. During your Charleston vacation, plan to spend some time enjoying the scenery at Battery Park. As you take in the sights, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back into time as the area hasn’t changed much in the past few centuries. Pack a picnic lunch or go for a stroll along the waterfront. The massive gazebo is a popular location for weddings, reunions, and special events. Make your Charleston SC hotel reservations now.
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