A Piece of Charleston History Pulled From The Ocean Dating Back To The Civil War

The Hunley preserved in the tank

Many years ago in my mischievous youth, we would impale these onto our bicycle spokes with a clothes pin. The idea behind this peculiar behavior was to make our bikes sound like they were motorized. The louder, the better, so more than one was often employed to achieve the desired effect. The bubble gum that accompanied these, shaped into sugar coated thin squares, was the first thing pulled from the wrapping and while chewing it to a consistency necessary to blow into balloon shapes, we would quickly shuffle through the rest of the contents with hopes of acquiring the one cherished piece that would make you the envy of your peers. Doubles were inevitable and often became the fodder for the aforementioned practice.

It appears the practice has become extinct. I haven't observed any kids riding around the neighborhood these days with this item flapping on their spokes. Children today are too technically sophisticated for such simple minded inventions and collecting apps is the more desired preoccupation of the young. Come to think of it, clothes pins are a rather rare commodity themselves. As for the item, I don't even know if they sell them anymore. Enthusiasts of this forgotten custom of a bygone era who have them in their possession today, whether by accident or design, benefit greatly. Quite simply put, I speak of baseball cards.

Baseball card collecting was popular in those early years, but something else became available in the form of collectible cards during the 1960's. Collectible cards portraying the American Civil War were printed and sold. Each card depicted a notable battle or person that was involved in this conflict that split the United States in two. Some of the more significant events I remember from those cards was the shelling of Fort Sumter, the Battle of Bull Run, the encounter between the Monitor and the Merrimack, Stonewall Jackson being shot by his own troops, the Battle of Gettysburg, and Robert E. Lee surrendering at Appomattox, to name a few. Since I also liked to draw, I often carefully recopied battle scenes on paper with pencil and crayon. Those cards were the spark that lit the fire of my interest in wanting to learn more about that part of history. 

I am from Northeastern Ohio, and in that part of the U.S. you are far removed from the many notable places and events of the Civil War, but here in the South, in Charleston, you are in the heart of it all. It is tightly weaved into the very fabric of Charleston's identity and for visitors it is inescapable, both by land and water. The Spiritline Cruises in Charleston Harbor shuttles people back and forth on a daily basis to the place where it all started, Fort Sumter. The guides on one of the numerous historic carriage rides seen crisscrossing the historic district are dressed in Confederate uniforms. You can get up close and personal by physically touching the iron mortars and cannon at Fort Moultrie or White Point Gardens that were used to bombard Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

A replica of the interior

One notable event I do not recall seeing on those cards was the infamous sinking of the USS Housatonic just outside of Charleston Harbor by the Hunley in 1864. In fact, my first exposure to the story of the Hunley was by way of a movie and then in more detail, when I moved to Charleston. Most likely, there are quite a few people in this country who don't know the Hunley exists or its story. For those who don't, the Hunley was the first successful combat submarine. Successful, meaning the Confederate submarine accomplished its one and only mission. It didn't successfully return to port. The Hunley disappeared under the waters off of Sullivan's Island and for 136 years its fate remained a mystery.


The Hunley crew crossed a foot bridge connecting Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan's
Island at this location in 1864. It became the Pitt Street Bridge, now known as Pickett Bridge.

Its final resting place was discovered and in 2000 the Hunley was carefully and meticulously raised, still in tack, from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are theories as to what happened to the Hunley, but no one really knows for sure what caused its demise. Scientists have been puzzling over the remains of the Hunley since its recovery, searching for clues that will assist them with providing a feasible hypothesis.

You can view the Hunley and the artifacts uncovered with it at its own museum where it is displayed in a 90,000 gallon conservation tank. Museum location is the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, 1250 Supply Street (on the old Charleston Navy Base), North Charleston, South Carolina. A startling discovery was made in 2002 while researching the interior of the sub that confirmed a long held legend. For the complete story of this find and tour information go to Friends of the Hunley.

An Isolated Island Bed And Breakfast In The Heart Of The San Francisco Bay Area

A gracious relic of the past, it is an island unto itself. It is unique among its kind. Originally there were six like it, but only three are sill standing. At one point in time its future had become uncertain. It survived because it is historically intrinsic and loved by many. Now 133 years old, it is a matchless Califronia destination with a spectacular view. It is the East Brother Lighthouse.

The East Brother Lighthouse quite literally sits on top of an island in the strait that separates San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The lighthouse began operation in 1874. The original lens was illuminated by a wick filled with whale oil. Later the means of illumination was replaced by a fifth-order Fresnel lens, powered by a 500-watt bulb. The San Francisco Bay area is one of the foggiest places on the coast, so the island lighthouse was also outfitted with a fog horn. The keepers lived on the island with their families and cared for its operation until it became automated in 1969.

The lighthouse is of a unique design. The tower is attached to a two story Victorian style house. There were five other lighthouses built in this design located at various places on the United States coastline, but aside from East Brother only two are still standing. Not far down the coastline from San Francisco near Los Angeles in the San Pedro Bay is one of them, the Point Fermin Lighthouse. The other is on the east coastline in New Jersey called Hereford Light.

The future of the East Brother Lighthouse became uncertain. A fire incident destroyed the island's wharf and boathouse. After it was automated, the keepers were no longer needed. The Victorian style house sat neglected and void of life. The government wanted to tear it down. Thanks to local residents who saw value in the past and the necessity to preserve its heritage, an outcry arose protesting its demolition. The Victorian house and other buildings were saved and steps were taken to restore it, not just to its former glory, but into a place where all who want to experience the wonder of a lighthouse with a beautiful vista for a magnifacent backdrop can do so.

Two Sisters Room

The East Brother Lighthouse is now an island bed and breakfast. There are five available rooms. Four of the rooms are in the lighthouse itself and the fifth is in the original Fog signal Building. The rooms are beautifully appointed and each has its own stunning view of the Bay area and surrounding landscape or seascape, whichever you prefer. Your stay includes champagne and hors d’oeuvres upon arrival, a multi-course dinner with wine and a full gourmet breakfast the next morning. If you would like the warmth and romantic atmosphere a fireplace provides, the Two sisters Room would be your likely choice, if you seek more privacy, the Walter's Quarters in the Fog Signal Building 100 feet from the lighthouse, closest to the water. Prices are $355 to $415 per night.

The island is a ten minute boat ride from the mainland. It is 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco. Once on the island, you will be treated to spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, Mount Tamalpais, and the Marin coastline. Your senses will be immersed and soothed by the smell of the bay, the sound of the lapping water on the rocky outcrops, and your imagination can take flight or stay put, its all the same either way, nostalgic and reinvigorating. You will find out why San Francisco has been the top rated destination for many years among travelers. That is, until Charleston recently took the top spot. East Brother Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast reviews. Reservations 510-233-2385.


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Charleston And The Grand Hotel On Mackinac Island-Somewhere In Time

In 1980, Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour starred in the romantic science fiction film "Somewhere in Time." To make a long story shorter, Reeves portrayed a playwright who receives a watch from a mysterious woman many years his age accompanied with the plea, "Come back to me." Eight years later, he becomes obsessed with her after finding out who she was in earlier times while staying at the famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. An obsession that would take him on a journey back in time.

No machine, like the kind you would see in other movies of this genre and subject matter, was employed to carry him back. All he needed to do was dress himself in clothing of the era, close his eyes, and with complete concentration immerse his thoughts and psyche into the time and place he desired to be at, which was 1912, where Jane Seymour awaited his coming. The story has both a tragic and happy ending, if you believe in such things as life after death.

I have always been fascinated with the theory of time travel, though I do not believe it to be attainable and theoretically is impossible for us mortals. It still boggles my mind that when you look at a mirror you are looking into your past because it took time for the light to move from the mirror back to your eyes, no matter how minute that movement is perceived to be. It all has something to do with gravity and the speed of light spattered with quantum physics. Perception plays a key role both in the movie and this article.

The Grand Hotel was the perfect setting for this film because it possesses a mystique that has the ability to capture your imagination and for the brief moments you are there transplant you into its charming and elegant past. Built in 1887, it has accommodated presidents, foreign dignitaries, and famous inventors and writers. It is visually stunning. The hotel boasts having one of the longest porches in the world at 660 ft. At its opening, nightly rates ranged from $3 to $5. No two of the 385 guest rooms are designed alike. Rates today range from $433 for a guest room to 798 for a named room, which include a full breakfast, Grand Luncheon Buffet, and five-course dinner daily.

The Hotel possesses a long list of honorable mentions from Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure including the designation as a four-diamond resort and one of the top 10 U.S. historic hotels. If the credentials don't peak your interest, every October the hotel hosts an annual convention for fans of the cult-classic "Somewhere in Time."

Charleston, like the Grand Hotel, possesses that mystique. Position yourself at any entranceway or street corner in the historic district and merge your senses into the surroundings. If you concentrate hard enough, you will be able to hear the commotion and sounds of its storied past and for that brief interim of time, maybe have an experience like the one in the movie. Just close your eyes. You will hear it. You will smell it. You will feel it.

Families chattering about the days activities while sipping afternoon tea and basking in the coastal breeze on their porches along the waterfront of the Battery. Breathe in the nostalgic smells of the produce and goods while strolling through the Old Market area. Looking out over the harbor and seeing the tall masts and sails of the ships entering and leaving the busy port. The spectacle of cannon and mortar fire bursting over Fort Sumter that early April morning. The snapping of the rope on which Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate, was hung in 1718 at White Point. Lavinia Fisher crying out before her hanging at the Old City Jail, "If anyone has a message for hell, give it to me-I'll deliver it," so the story goes. We will need verification of this one, so if you actually do travel back in time, send me an email.

The history of Charleston was not always charming and glamorous. There was a time when Charleston had fallen into near decay. A time when many of the restaurants, hotels, taverns, and buildings we enjoy today were empty and disintegrating structures foreboding doom, until a rebirth to preserve the past for posterity became the prime objective of city planning and historic Charleston was rescued.

Now, Charleston is the top destination in the nation among this countries many cities. No, Charleston doesn't have a hotel with a 660 foot porch like the Grand Hotel, but the Market Pavilion Hotel and Venue Inns both have roof top bars and enough hospitality to go around.

You don't actually have to close your eyes to experience the past, in Charleston you are surrounded by it. The clip-clop of horses hooves and the rattling of carriages from the numerous tours are everywhere. Women in hooped skirts greet you with a southern smile at the many historic plantations and dastardly pirates with their tall tales will amuse you. Its Antebellum history will inform you and its residents will invite you into their homes and gardens for a glimpse of its style and grace.

Charleston also has a savvy nightlife with its many theaters and nightspots for drinks, music and dancing. While you are here, make sure you say hello to Alabaster, he resides at the South Carolina Aquarium.