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Nathaniel Russell House Staircase – Charleston, S. Carolina
Built in 1808 for Nathaniel Russell, a wealthy merchant and trader, this house is now recognized as one of America's most important Neoclassical houses. The unknown architect delighted in elliptical curves, and designed these spiraled free-standing stairs in a squared hall to better emphasize the curve. The magnificent flying staircase rises three flights up without any support or the use of a single nail in its construction.
Sunrise over Charleston Harbor – Charleston, SC
Life in the Lowcountry is all about slowing down and taking a moment to relax, and locals and visitors agree that Charleston's Waterfront Park, with a prime location overlooking the harbor, is the perfect venue. The park includes the now iconic Pineapple Fountain, with the pineapple synonymous with southern hospitality. The park was pretty quiet at sunrise (and the fountain was off), but the colors over the harbor were magnificent.
Dock Street Theater – Charleston, S. Carolina
The Dock Street Theater, which originally opened in 1736 as the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical performances, was destroyed by fire in 1740. After a period as the Planter’s hotel, the theater reopened in 1937 and again after major renovations in 2010. This view of the side wall near the backstage entrance shows the historic brick and stucco construction.
45 Church Street – Charleston, S. Carolina
This home in the historic South of Broad neighborhood was built in 1769 (as evidenced by a piece of mahogany found in the walls signed by the builder) and awarded the Carolopolis award in 1971 by the Charleston Preservation Society recognizing the property’s historic background, preservation, and restoration. This magnificent doorway is not an entrance to the home, but leads to a grand piazza (covered porch) designed to create shade and take advantage of coastal breezes.
Rainbow Row at Sunrise – East Bay St., Charleston, SC
Built between 1740-1792 for the bustling merchant business at the waterfront wharves (just across the street at the time). The bottom floors were retail or office space while the upper floors were residences. The buildings fell into disrepair after the Civil War but were revitalized in the 1930s, painted in Colonial Caribbean colors and now known as Rainbow Row. The green home in this photo taken at sunrise, is the only building on Rainbow Row to retain its Victorian storefront
Spanish Moss in Southern Live Oak Trees – Charleston, SC
Spanish moss is neither Spanish, nor a moss, but is a flowering plant that grows hanging from tree branches, and is fond of live oak trees that grow in the lowlands of the south. These Southern Live Oak trees are at Middleton Place, an 18th-century rice plantation and country residence of Arthur Middleton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, now a National Historic Landmark.