Thursday, March 14, 2024

Summerville Keeps on Rising Like a Phoenix from the Ashes in the Face of Adversity

Summerville, from the time of its conception, has been a place to where Lowcountry residents came to heal and renew. Charleston planters, who perspired in the heat and humidity of their river plantations, marooned themselves there to prevail upon its "remarkably dry and balmy atmosphere." Charlestonians, laboring against the voracious mosquitos and yellow fever of their peninsula estates, traversed the 25 miles to avail upon its "foliage of trees and luxuriant undergrowth" that "shut in any poisonous exhalations that might otherwise arise." Unequivocally, Summerville has been appraised as a "charming, rural, picturesque town with a health-promoting atmosphere."

However, Summerville's journey from "Let The Pines Be Sacred" to "The Birthplace of Sweet Tea" has had its ups and downs. In the beginning, the inviting sandy plateau was dotted with Mosquito houses with roving cattle cutting paths through the many pine trees. Then, the railroad came to town and made Summerville one of its stops and held out the promise of greater things to come, but the pineland village grew slowly in population and accommodations.

Then, in 1860, the inhabitants came under the influence of a "new sprit." The sluggish apathy of the previous years seemed to disappear. An "enthusiasm for progress" pervaded the sleepy community. A new administration was taking charge. The new mayor, Reverend Limehouse, purchased land on the Great Thoroughfare and had a new town hall built with a jail behind it and adjacent was the town market. The Brown's Hotel was open for business with a new ten-pin alley and billiard room along with $.50 tickets to Charleston and back, including carriage ride. The Vose Inn and Mr. Cooper's Paradise were other attractors.

However, a political hurricane was brewing in the social atmosphere and its black, ominous clouds spilled over the Town in a fury. It was now 1861. In the distance, shells rained down on Fort Sumter and the American Civil war was under way. Southern State troops were ordered to rendezvous on the South Carolina Railroad at Camp Woodward in Summerville. It would be a chaotic time with the arrival of the emotionally charged troops.

About the gathering combatants, Major Thomas W. Woodward wrote in his memoirs, "And—folly of follies—you were to be allowed to choose whether you would go as a Regiment or disband and go home, although you had already agreed to offer your services to the Confederacy." He further lamented, "some companies preserved their discipline, others were really but roving mobs of jolly, rollicking soldiers."

Eventually, the uniforms changed from grey to blue. There was a threat the Federals who captured Charleston were going to burn the town. In May of 1865, the Black Union Provisional Brigade moved from their position at Bacon's Bridge to occupy Summerville. With many houses and buildings turned into hospitals, it became the temporary residents for the sickly and wounded.

While recovering from the Civil War, the final years of the 19th century saw two more devastating local events. Summerville was rattled by an earthquake in 1886 and a downtown fire ravaged most of the buildings around the Town's square. As with all fires, the clouds of thick smoke dispersed and sunny, blue skies appeared overhead. The sacred tree's that soothed the first marooners came to the rescue.

The International Congress of Physicians in Paris declared Summerville one of the world's two best places for treating lung disorders. The town rose from the ashes and the pleasant aroma of azalea and wisteria wafted through the tall trees and winding streets. Grand inns and hotels were constructed to accommodate the influx of visitors. It was the "Golden Age of the Inns" and prosperity reigned supreme. But alas, the dubious crown of financial security was soon to be knocked off.


An Economic shakeup called the Great Depression began to change the landscape. The wrecking ball took out two of the Town's premier accommodations, the Pine Forest and Carolina Inn. The Summerville Short no longer stopped and the grand old railroad station disappeared from Hutchinson Square. The Summerville Show stopped the movie projectors from turning. Hurricane Hugo paid an unwelcoming visit and showed no respect for the cherished pines. The downtown area lost its allure.

Then, a call went out. :The show must go on," said the Flowertown Players, and Summerville had a Dream. Every Third Thursday the community would gather together and the shops were going local. The Town's popular magazine made a sweet discovery and the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea" took its honored place among the town's mottos, and now from Botany Bay to Boone Hall, it is "at the heart of it all." Restaurants and cafes are on nearly every corner and in-between inviting patrons to linger a little longer. It seems there is no stopping the Town from rising like a Phoenix from the ashes in the face of adversity, and a little help from providence.

Could there be another civil war, it is in the realm of possibility. Could another earthquake happen, it is a viable danger. Could there be another economic crisis, there is always that prospect. Could there be another Hurricane Hugo, blink your eyes and the weather does change. As heralded in this article, each of these insidious calamities have confronted the Town through its 177 years, and each time without reservation, it has prevailed. The only way Summerville could ever fail is if it would lose touch with its sense of itself. Who it was, who it is, who it needs to be, and who it must be in the ever changing South Carolina Lowcountry.

Visit Summerville        Coastal Coffee Roasters

Summerville Dream     La Rustica - on Magnolia

Flowertown Players      Laura Summerville

Azalea Magazine          Five Loaves Cafe

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Monday, March 11, 2024

The Summerville Inn That Changed Its Appearance Like a Chameleon

Dorchester Inn
Vose Inn is not a commonly recognizable name in the history of Summerville. The obvious reason for its present anonymity is it no longer exists. It was so severely damaged by the Earthquake of 1886, it was deserted to the elements to rot into oblivion. It was situated behind what is now Ambler Hall on W. Carolina.

A famous name in Charleston history stayed there, and afterwards, penned some glowing remarks about the "charming, rural, picturesque" town of Summerville. She spoke of a "new spirit" and an "enthusiasm for progress." It was 1860, and the Charleston writer was a woman nicknamed "the ancient lady," Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Poyas.

Around the same time, another accommodation was emerging in popularity as a place that combined all the comforts of a city hotel, with the enjoyments of country living. The hotel's address was at the crossroads of W. Carolina and Sumter Ave. But on this day of March 8, 2024, as I stand at that very same location, no traces of the lodging with a history as old as Summerville's pine trees and an identity that varied as much as a chameleon changes colors remained.

Unmercifully, in the 1960's, it suffered the same irreversibly regrettable fate as the Vose Inn, total destruction. So, with some imagination and preserved photos, I gazed out over the present landscape and visually reconstructed the old inn.  

In 1810, Moore's Tavern stood on the property. It would become the Brown's Hotel around 1855 under the ownership of Isaac T. Brown--also called the Summerville House. Brown added a ten-pin alley and a billiard room. The hotel was surrounded by wide piazzas. Inside were spacious parlors, ample halls, and comfortable and airy chambers complimented by all the substantials and luxuries of a well supplied table. Hotel rates were $1.25 a day, $7.00 a week, and $25.50 a month. Boarders were furnished tickets at $.50 each for a round trip passage on the railroad to Charleston, which was a hour trip, including carriage ride to and from the depot.

The Brown's Hotel suffered damage from the 1886 earthquake. It closed around 1890, but unlike the Vose Inn, reopened in 1895. It became known as the Dorchester Inn featuring full, wrap-around porches and numerous shuttered windows. In 1912, T.R. Moore owned the Dorchester Inn and after enlarging the structure, extensively remodeling the interior, and updating the building, it opened its doors as the Carolina Inn featuring 67 rooms and a swimming pool.

With white wood-rail fencing, beautifully landscaped walking gardens, and an acquired reputation for excellent accommodations and cuisine, it would become preferred by many travelers for its discreet elegance and atmosphere in comparison to the opulence of another competitor, the Pine Forest Inn. There was an east wing and a west wing with one large, window-lined dining room sectioned off into two dining spaces with table settings containing china and sterling. A third dining room was reserved for staff employees who accompanied their employers when staying at the inn. The fine cuisine included an offering of duck and quail, two dishes the inn's kitchen was renowned for.

Unlike the structured offerings of the Pine Forest Inn, there were no activities organized by management. Patrons were left to their own devices. One of the favorite pastimes of the guests was competing in bridge tournaments and competitions. Somewhat similar to tourism today, other diversions included historical tours, garden tours, maybe a silent movie at the Arcade Theatre, or shopping and sightseeing excursions into Charleston on the South Carolina Railroad out of Summerville.

The only part of the inn complex that has survived is the two-story 2,400 square foot annex building at 315 W. Carolina. It was built to serve as an the overflow for guests seeking accommodations at the main building. It has been a private residence since 1963.

Carolina Inn Annex

Carolina Inn was sometimes mistakenly confused with White Gables by some today--another inn found on the famous directional sign. A Southern adaptation of Greek Revival architecture, White Gables was built in 1830 at the crossroads of Palmetto and Richardson Streets and was purchased by Sarah Woodruff in the early 1900's. There are some interesting stories associated with the Woodruffs and White Gables. Sarah was Summerville's Scarlet O'Hara when it came to business. However, that is another story.

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Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Poyas books

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Friday, March 8, 2024

Drayton Hall House Tour--See One of the Lowcountry's Greatest Architectural Treasures

Founded in 1738, Drayton Hall is a preeminent example of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States. It is one of the most significant, undisturbed historic landscapes open for public viewing. Its amazing and timeless wood and plaster carvings are a testimony to the artful skills of the master craftsmen of the day. The stories told offer a brief glimpse into the people who lived and served within its majestic walls. All of which have been preserved in their original true to life state of being, unvarnished both physically and spiritually.

Upon arrival, you will want to check in, and you do this at the gift shop. While you wait for the house tour to start, and you are encouraged to do this, you can take a self guided stroll around the visitor center. A brief orientation film is offered in the Stephen F. and Laura D. Gates Gallery along with a full-wall time line. The adjacent room, in the same building, includes rotating exhibitions of decorative arts objects that once belonged to the Drayton family, examples of authentic house furniture, archaeological artifacts related to the estate and its inhabitants, as well as archival materials and architectural fragments.

Anchoring the visitor center, the Lenhardt Garden surrounds a sprawling 200-year-old oak tree. The plantings are historically inspired, with horticultural specimens related to John Drayton's botanical lists. There is a grouping of benches upon which you can sit and soak in the tranquil surroundings and enjoy the seasonal flora and fauna.

The exhibit in the caretaker's house highlights the post-Civil War period and the 20th century at Drayton Hall. Constructed in 1870, the caretaker's house was built for the caretaker to watch over the main house and grounds while phosphate was mined on the property. The house has been rehabilitated to serve as a conditioned exhibit space, creating opportunities to see layers of its construction and decorative materials. Of course, you can enjoy these three amenities any time before or after your tour.

Once the tour begins, the guide introduced us to the complex where it begins. Then explains the radical decision that was made to preserve the seven generations of history within Drayton Hall's walls. The choice was made to stabilize the house rather than restore it to a particular period, and to preserve it as it was acquired from the family in the 1970s. All imperfections and changes over time have survived to the present.

Next, we were led to an archeological dig next to the main house. It reveals what was originally one of the flanker buildings that once upon a time stood on each side of the main house and connected by a tall brick colonnade. It is an essential element of a one time unknown surprising twist in the house's history.

Drayton Hall is unquestionably not without its mysteries, both surreal and real. The most recent and famous occurred in 2007 when one of its staff members received an anonymous package containing the photograph of a watercolor painting of Drayton Hall purported to be date back to 1765. The envelope it arrived in was simply postmarked 22602-6754 with the words ATT: Back in The Day. The numbers were found to be a Winchester, VA zip code.

Up to that moment, no 18th-century image of Drayton Hall had ever been found. The earliest dated to c. 1845. The mystery was deepened further by what they saw depicted in the watercolor. It presented an image of Drayton Hall never seen before. It showed the Palladian brick building surrounded by low colonnades. Inspired by this revelation, archaeologists dug into the museum's lawn, where 18th-century foundation marks were found, suggesting the 1765 drawing of a u-shaped colonnade was an accurate portrayal.

The tour moved to the main house beginning in the cellar, which housed mainly the kitchen. From there, we exited to the grand portico, the first floor, and finally the second floor. After entertaining and thought provoking stories on each floor about the people who lived and worked in the house, we were turned loose to go wherever we wanted at our own leisure. Before exiting the property, we took the solemn stroll through the African American Cemetery.


If you are looking for the complete southern experience, Drayton Hall should be on your list. From the moment you enter the gate and drive up the narrow causeway toward the columned portico's of the house's stunning front entrance, you sense a change in time. And, when you ascend the stone stairs facing the Ashley River and step through the door, the sudden rush of humid antebellum air swoops you back to an era of ballroom serenades, afternoon tea, and plantation living both elegant and controversial.

Voted the Best Place to See by Condé Nast Traveler.

Tickets for the House Tour

Tickets for Private Guided Tours

Plantation Tour Combination Tickets

Group Tours

Monday, March 4, 2024

Glimpses of 1861 Summerville Through the Recollections of Lieutenant Andrew McConnell at Camp Woodward on the South Carolina Railroad

Camp Woodward set up along these tracks
The South Carolina Railroad and a building boom in the 1850's brought prosperity to Summerville. By the eve of the American Civil War, there were five hotels and boarding houses(Brown's Hotel, Captain Vose's, and Mr. Cooper's Paradise to name a few) three churches, two public buildings, nine stores, 372 dwellings and servants' houses, and 1088 inhabitants.

Lieutenant Andrew McConnell wrote an extensive diary about his time at Camp Woodward in Summerville during the explosive days of 1861. He prodigiously penned on a daily basis. His candid commentary outlining his observations and personal experiences about the troops and townspeople were both profound and striking, as verified by the musings of a fellow officer, Major Thomas W. Woodward.

Shortly after Fort Sumter was bombarded and secured, South Carolina State troops consisting of the 6th Regiment South Carolina Infantry to the Confederate Government were ordered to rendezvous 22 miles outside of Charleston on the South Carolina Railroad, so said the diary of Lieutenant Andrew McConnell. He stated on June 6, 1861, "This morning at home - though I do not feel so well packing my clothes for to start to Camp Woodward, Summerville, Charleston District, South Carolina. We are stationed 22 miles from Charleston city on the railroad. I left Columbia at 2 O. C., P. M. enroute to the camp. 9 0. C., P. M. I arrived at Summerville."

It would be a chaotic time for the town of Summerville with the arrival of the emotionally charged troops. About the gathering combatants, Major Thomas W. Woodward wrote in his memoirs, "And—folly of follies—you were to be allowed to choose whether you would go as a Regiment or disband and go home, although you had already agreed to offer your services to the Confederacy." About the troops, he lamented, "some companies preserved their discipline, others were really but roving mobs of jolly, rollicking soldiers."

Woodward continued, "One company—the Fairfield Fencibles—which was the last to arrive, finding that their tents had not, been erected for them, and that other general arrangements for their ease and comfort were unprovided, created such a din that the Colonel turned them loose and allowed them to go into town to hunt quarters, and it was not long until they captured this elegant summer resort, and were having a good time generally; and they were only brought back to camp some days after..." It was party time in elegant Summerville, which included a lot of drinking.

Lieutenant Andrew McConnell recounted his various excursions into Summerville in great detail often laced with bits of amusing commentary.

He occasionally visited "Miss Mag Brown. She is one of the handsomest Ladies that my eyes ever beheld...& during the night my whole dream was concentrated on her." He often dined at a place he called Judge Cooper's Hotel(Mr. Cooper's Paradise), where he enjoyed "chicken, beef, dumplins, bacon, cabbage and molasses." He spoke of savoring a glass of ice cream and iced lemonade while in town and fished and bathed in a lake 200 yards from camp.

Lieutenant McConnell was a church-going man, who also had an eye for the ladies, judging by some of his comments. He often visited Summerville's Episcopal Church concerning which he said was "a very neat church. Carpet floored and seats filled with the prettiest Ladies imaginable. After services were over I followered after a very handsome Lady as I was bound to learn her destination - in which I was successful. She stopped at Judge Cooper's Hotel." On another occasion, he wrote, "There were a good many spectators out on dress parade this evening and among them were some very pretty ladies." At one service, he estimated "there were about three hundred present and among the number about eighty volunteers."

On June 16, 1861, after a stay at the Charleston Hotel, he wrote, "2 l/2 0. C. in the afternoon we got on the Augusta train and proceeded to Summerville which is about 1 l/4 hours ride. Rev. Mr. Douglas preached this evening. His text, "Acquaint Thyself With God."

Some of the troops were not so polite to the pretty ladies and citizens of Summerville. McConnell recalled, "Two men of the 6th Regiment in jail at Summerville for bad conduct towards the females. Today there are twenty men detailed to patrol over in Summerville today and night. All of which originated from the bad conduct of the volunteers towards the citizens of Summerville." The offending men no doubt were incarcerated in the Old Town Hall jail, which was built in 1860 when Robert I. Limehouse became mayor.

On June 20, 1861, McConnell pens one of his more fascinating entries, where he states, "R. M. Clark and myself walked to the head of B. H. Guard Street and took a glass of Ginger Pop and a saucer of ice cream." Ginger Pop in Summerville. How was that possible in 1861?

James Vernor first developed the recipe for his ginger pop in 1861 at a Detroit drugstore called Higby & Sterns, but was then called off to join the Civil War, leaving his ginger syrup to lay dormant in an oak cask. After his return in 1865, he finalized his golden ale formula and first served it to the American public in 1866 when he opened a drugstore of his own in Detroit, Michigan, on Woodward Avenue and sold his ginger pop at its pop fountain. So, where did Summerville get its Ginger Pop?

Well, it is possible it came from Ireland. The best informed historians attribute Thomas Joseph Cantrell, an Irish apothecary and surgeon, with the invention and manufacturing of the first golden style fermented ginger ale with a strong ginger spice flavour in Belfast, Ireland, in the 1850s, which he marketed through local beverage manufacturer Grattan and Company.

And then, there was Robert Robinson of New York City, who claimed he was the first one to make ginger ale in the U.S. in the 1840s, calling it ginger soda. However, his claim was rather dubious to say the least because his concoction was more like the "gingerades" being made in England at that time, rather than the ginger ale "flavor" produced in Ireland. Whatever the case, Lieutenant McConnell's diary entry confirms Summerville offered some of the finer things of life.

On July 15, 1861, Lieutenant McConnell made his final entry pertaining to his stay at Camp Woodward with the words, "This morning I took the cars at Shelton destined for Virginia via Summerville. July 16, 1861, This morning I woke up in Virginia." Thus, Lieutenant Andrew McConnell's time in Summerville came to an end.

McConnell would not return to his home in Northwestern Fairfield County, South Carolina. He was killed at the Battle of Petersburg on July 30, 1864. This article only covered a small portion of snippets taken from his Summerville experience. His writings were preserved and for a brief moment, they give Summerville historians a fascinating glimpse into their elegant little town's exposure during the turbulent days of 1861.

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Monday, February 26, 2024

Folly Beach's Two Famous Boats--One Barely Retained, One Barely Remains

2008
The boundless Folly Beach landscape is a stunningly beautiful tangled blue web of saltwater creeks, rivers, and estuary marshes. It is this dazzling network of rising and ebbing saltwater that decidedly makes it a water sportsman’s wonderland of swimming, boating, fishing, surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and the home of two famous boats, one with a Hurricane Hugo connection.

I came across one of Folly's notable maritime landmarks for the first time while paddleboarding Folly Creek in 2015. Coastal Expedition's had a small office located in a wooden planked building next to Crosby Fish and Shrimp at that time.

I boarded my rented long board, shoved off into the warm waters of Folly Creek, and paddled towards Bowen's Island Restaurant. Not long into the paddle, the object of my interest came into view with its stern sticking out of the water along the edge of the marsh grass. It had been there since its abandonment. I took my first pictures of the solitary wreck.

2015

2019
I have revisited the sunken boat off and on since that first encounter. It has changed over the years. Aside from the Skull-and-Crossbones being placed on it, the creek's salty water and weathering elements since have ravaged the wooden denizen of the deep. My last visit was in November, 2022.

If you are interested in seeing this famous sunken Folly boat for the first time, I would suggest you do it sooner than later, because the maritime clock is ticking down to once upon a time there was a sunken boat on Folly Creek.

2022

Location of sunken boat on Folly Creek.

In the decades after Hurricane Hugo swept the other famous Folly Boat to its resting place next to Folly Road in 1989, it became a sounding board for community residents, who painted and repainted it with political slogans, declarations of love, and other messages. In 1996, two killer whales were painted on one of its sides. It was irresistible to passersby, who would stop to have their pictures taken next to it. Perhaps, you were one of them.

Then, in September 2017, Tropical Storm Irma came into town and along with a high tide swept the boat up from its iconic roadside location and crashed it into a private dock on Sol Legare Road where it remained with an uncertain future, even after over two thousand dollars of donations was raised to save it. At one point during the next two years, the over 20 ton behemoth was precariously considered for the scrap pile. However, a James Island bar owner came to the rescue.

In December of 2019, Crews with Limehouse and Sons used a crane and a flatbed truck to move the boat from its marshy resting place to The Barrel on Folly Road. Even though it is on private property, it is both visible and accessible from Folly Road. Looking at Google maps, it shows the bar is pinned as permanently closed, but the painted boat still remains at that location.


The Folly Boat by itself is just an aging, metal hull, but when painted, it was both inspirational and controversial through the years. It produced some beautiful art works and sometimes emitted words like a drunken sailor. Town officials often debated whether it was a landmark or an eyesore, but it was the everyday person that settled the matter in favor of a local icon. Recently, it may have lost its luster among newcomers who couldn't possibly fathom its allure, but long time residents of the Lowcountry remember it like they do Hugo. Hey, it even had a Facebook fan page where you can see pictures posted by painters and lovers of the Hugo boat, though the last one posted was in 2021.

You, the reader, may have pictures of these two famous boats of your own or even a story recounting your own encounter with them while traveling Folly Road to Folly Beach or paddling Folly Creek. Go ahead and share them if you so desire.

Monday, February 19, 2024

Fort Sumter Tour is like the Carriage Rides in Downtown--When Visiting Charleston, You Should do It

The first shots of the American Civil War are traditionally said to have been fired at the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, but officially they were not. Some months before the Sumter bombardment, in January of that same year, a merchant ship sent by President Buchanan carrying supplies for the fort was fired upon by Confederate batteries on Morris Island and after sustaining minor damage, turned away. The ship was called the Star of the West. This is just one of many interesting facts you will learn when you take the tour of Fort Sumter located at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Of coarse, the only way to get to the fort is by ferry.

We chose Spirit Line Cruises for our tour. The primary departure point is the Aquarium Wharf at 360 Concord Street in Charleston and boats also depart from Patriots Point at 40 Patriots Point Boulevard in Mount Pleasant. Before boarding the ferry, you will want to visit the Fort Sumter Visitor Center at 340 Concord Street at Liberty Square in Charleston where you will enjoy a museum and get necessary information about the tour. The total tour time is 2 1/4 hours with about 1 hour spent in the fort.

The boarding time for our cruise was 2 pm. It was full capacity, and most everyone gathered on the top deck for the best views of the surrounding harbor sights and the entertaining narration, which lasted the full trip from departure to the fort's dock. Ravenel Bridge, U.S.S. Yorktown, Charleston Harbor Resort, Pinckney Castle, Charleston's waterfront, ships of all sizes, and if you are fortunate, dolphin swimming in the nutrient-rich, murky waters of the harbor are the points of interest you will see on your trip out.

Fort Sumter was the trigger point that plunged the North and South into America's deadliest war. What you see of the fort today is the preserved ruins left over from the bombardment it suffered, first, from the Confederates in 1861, and then, from the Federals after the South took control of the fort to the end of the war. It was a formidable fort, although never really completed.

Fort Sumter was constructed on a man-made island built from over ten thousand tons of granite transported from Maine and started in 1829. Well over 60,000 tons of rock was imported from other sites. The island itself was 2.4 acres in size. Bricks, shells and sand could be obtained locally, but the capacity of local brickyards was inadequate to supply the millions of bricks required to build. Hundreds of thousands of oyster shells were used for the lime to make concrete. The fort would have 50 foot three-tiered walls with five sides. By 1860, the island and the outer fortifications were complete, but the fort's interior and armaments remained unfinished. You will get the full story as you stroll the grounds reading the various detailed information locations on your self-guided tour. There are park rangers available to answer any questions you may have.



The Fort Sumter Tour is informative and absorbing. The ferry ride to and from is relaxing as you take in the surrounding sites and listen to the engaging narrations. Our narrator told an intriguing story. While in the fort, you get a sense of what it was like to be within its walls while hundreds of shells rain down from the sky from Fort Moultrie, Fort Johnson, and other surrounding coastal batteries totaling 19. Some Civil War cannons had the power to launch shells up to five miles in distance.

Fort Sumter Tour is part of the story and allure that makes Charleston the number one destination in the nation. When in town visiting, tourist or local, you should reserve your ticket, hop on the ferry, and take a ride into the past.

Fort Sumter Tour Prices:

Adults - $37

Seniors/Active Military - $33

Children(4-11) - $23

Children 3 and under - Free

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Monday, February 5, 2024

Low Country Public House--Another Welcome addition to Summerville's Restaurant Scene

The name is no surprise considering it is a renovated one-time house that has gone public, and you, the public, have been given an invitation to drop in. The relatively new eatery is fittingly called Low Country Public House. It has achieved the honorary privilege of becoming another name to be added to the growing list of restaurants now serving Summerville. It is classified as a pub-style diner with a full bar and private dining areas available to book for a special event. Its address is 1426 Central Ave.

Low Country Public House's promise is to introduce their customers to a fresh and exciting dining experience. Their passion is for excellent food, hospitality, and a promise for a strong commitment to quality and service. The best of local and seasonal ingredients will be offered with a menu that includes dishes that are both familiar and innovative including burgers, smoked wings, salads, brats, pork belly nachos to name just a few. Their chefs passions will be to create innovative and delicious dishes that showcase the flavors of the region. Their success at achieving all of that will depend on you, the public, who have the final word.

As we approached Low Country Public House's Central Avenue driveway, parked near its entrance was a huge food truck with the name Low Country Fish Camp painted on its sides. It was an obvious reminder the two eateries are affiliated, both owned and operator by the same proprietors, Ginny and Chris VanZile.

The newly renovated once-upon-a-time house had a fresh look to it with vertical rough-sawn planked siding covering its exterior and a stuccoed facade with its name and pine trees painted on it. Plenty of parking space was available towards its rear. We strolled passed a long, wood deck attached to its backside used for outdoor seating. A slated name plaque noting the year of its establishment, 2023, was displayed at its front entrance, a nice touch.

Once inside, the host asked our preference for seating. We opted to sit in the bar area, which included a well-stocked, small bar, one table setting, and a very inviting enclosed step-down space with comfort chairs, coffee table, and brick fireplace, already occupied, so we chose the table.

The bartender would be our server for the evening. She rattled off the evenings list of drink specials, which featured Pomegranate. My friend started with a glass of wine, and I chose one of the specials called Winston, which was a tall mix of Pomegranate, lemonade, and Knob Creek Whiskey--a tasty blend with a satisfying "kick". 

Prior to visiting, upon recommendations from a friend, I had already decided to try their French Onion Soup($10) and Fish and Chips($22), but after perusing the menu, I completely changed my coarse. I chose the Jalapeno Cheddar Brat with house made Chili, Cheese, Onions and Rosemary Fries for $14. My friend went with the Fish and Chips with Beer Battered Cod, Rosemary Fries, and Coleslaw.

I was thoroughly pleased with my choice. The chili was mild and the brat was cooked just right with a balance of onions. The Rosemary Fries had the right amount crispiness, at least, what I considered just right. I had read reviews where some patrons were not happy with the Rosemary Fries--overdone leaving no potato left--but that was definitely not my experience. I closed out our sitting with a Pomegranate Martini.

Our bartender/server proficiently juggled her dual task even though she was busy also serving patrons sitting at the bar. She was informative, attentive to our wants, removed used dishes, and took the time to share a few laughs. She was a good mixologist.

Low Country Public House has a relaxing atmosphere and pleasant surroundings. Being a former house, its dining space is split between several different rooms, each accented with varying wood stains and eclectic wall decorations. Each rooms color schemes compliment one another and the red leather booths in one of its main eating areas is a nice touch. The bar seating is a tad cramped, but if you are just waiting on a table, it will do. What was likely at one time the garage is now a step down room with a glass garage door. Enjoy the pictures, they tell the story nicely.



Monday and Sunday Closed

Tuesday - Thursday 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Friday and Saturday 11:00 - 9:00 pm

Happy Hour Tuesday - Thursday 3 - 6 pm  Friday 3 - 5 pm

(843) 285-9999

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