CharlestonhomesBrian

Best half block in Downtown Charleston might be Archdale Street. St. John's Lutheran and the Unitarian sit shoulder to shoulder, and you catch both steeples from the sidewalk. Perfect walk up to Second Sunday on King.

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Walked past this one South of Broad and stopped. That door facing the street isn't the front door, it opens onto the piazza. The house is turned sideways to catch the breeze off the harbor.

Ever notice the little black plaques by front doors in Downtown Charleston? That's a Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society.

"Carolopolis" is Latin for City of Charles, and the 1670 is the year the city was founded. This one went up in 1980 and it's still hanging in there.

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The Ravenel Bridge from the air. Opened in 2005, and locals in Downtown Charleston still call it “the new bridge” two decades later. Time moves slow here, and honestly that’s the charm.

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Stopped for the bay window, stayed for the window boxes. Downtown Charleston might be the only place where window box plantings are basically a competitive sport. This South of Broad home is showing off.

Two-story bays are rare down here too.

Great block to slow down on.

That blue piazza ceiling is called haint blue, locals say the tradition goes back generations, meant to keep spirits away.

The stars in this South of Broad gate always remind me of the earthquake bolts you see on buildings all over Downtown Charleston added after the 1886 quake. Whether this ironworker meant the nod or just loved stars, look down too. There’s one in the brick.

The House That Tells Its Own Story
See that little box on the gate post? That’s the home’s history, printed for anyone walking by in Downtown Charleston. Neighbors here don’t just own history, they share it. That’s the part I love.

One bold door color on a street full of white clapboard and black shutters. That’s how homeowners add personality in Downtown Charleston.

The split staircase nobody notices in South of Broad. Two stairs curving up to a rounded portico. The front door sits a full level above the street, that’s old Charleston building smart, keeping the living floor up out of the water. South of Broad in Downtown Charleston is full of these. You just have to look up.