Where the past and the present meet

Horse-drawn carriages transport tourists into another time as they slowly make their way along narrow streets lined with pastel-painted mansions. A concert of church bells drifts on the salty sea breeze as visitors pass some of the nation's grandest homes and listen as their guide tells interesting anecdotes about Charleston's citizens from generations past. Nestled between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers at their confluence with the Atlantic Ocean, this is a city symbolizing the need to not only respect the past, but have a good time in the process.

Window Clerk Glenda Ford and her children Akayla, 5, and Jordan, 3, walk through one of the city’s many parks and floral gardens.

"I've heard tourists say they've never seen anything like our beautiful homes, the architecture, the restoration," Letter Carrier Carl Simmons says as he talks about the city he has called home his entire life. "You'll find a lot of history here."

Charleston was founded in 1670 by English settlers, and Charlestonians take great pride in their heritage. The local preservation society is credited with enacting the first historic district ordinance in the United States, offering future generations a clear understanding of the city's past.

"Historic preservation is more than a matter of pride, it's the law," Manager of Customer Services, George "Buddy" Thompson explains. "If you live in the historic district, you can't even paint your house without getting permission."

Charleston Clerks Evelyn and Joseph Smith soak up the historical sights at Ft. Sumter with their 7-year-old granddaughter Dominique Johnson.

It's also a mecca for tourists. "Visitors are always asking me where different attractions are and what I suggest they see," Letter Carrier John Gantt says. "The best way to get to know the city is on a carriage tour, a walking tour or a boat tour of Charleston Harbor. And everyone should definitely visit Fort Sumter."

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the nation in 1860. On April 12, 1861, Confederate troops fired on the Union garrison at Fort Sumter, marking the beginning of the Civil War.

To understand local history and the part Charleston played in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, "you can't beat Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter," Thompson, a local history buff and curator of the Charleston Postal Museum, adds.

"Our city is, of course, known for its historic attractions, but remember," Simmons smiles, "we are right on the water, and we have great seafood here. Trawler's and Seafarer's are two very good seafood restaurants."

Only minutes from Charleston are pristine beaches stretching between stands of palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. Families seek out the solitude of the beach and are often rewarded with not only a day together building sand castles and swimming, but a chance sighting of brown pelicans gliding on an ocean breeze or dolphins in the azure surf.

"We have the most beautiful beaches. I love walking along the water. You never know what the ocean will wash up on the sand — maybe a sand dollar or a shy hermit crab who has taken up residence in an abandoned conch shell," Customer Service Coordinator Charlene Ward says. "A lot of our visitors are families with young children. After a day of history, they end up staying a week just to enjoy the relaxed seaside atmosphere."

Charleston is also known for its gardens, from the modest walled gardens in the city to the grand plantation gardens that line the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. The kaleidoscopic array of camellias, magnolias and azaleas is almost beyond the imagination as guests are invited to wander the property of America's elite from a different time.

"The plantations are simply beautiful, and the gardens surrounding these antebellum homes are fabulous," Ward says with great enthusiasm. "Something is always in bloom."

"No matter what you decide to visit, no matter where you stay, you'll enjoy yourself," Gantt adds. "But you'll probably remember our Southern hospitality most of all."

For more information about a vacation in Charleston, SC, you can contact the Convention and Visitors' Bureau at (800) 868-8118.

Marilyn Thorbahn is the acting communications specialist in the Columbus, OH, District.