Congressman
Henry E. Brown, Jr.

Discover Charleston County

Charleston County (map), which is known as the birthplace of South Carolina, includes the location where the first British inhabitants settled in 1670.  Charleston County’s estimated population in 2006 was 331,917, which was an increase of 7.1% from the 2000 census. Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state. English settlers arrived in the colony of Carolina in 1670, and they established a town at Albemarle Point on the west bank of the Ashley River. The settlement, named Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England, was subsequently moved a few miles away to a peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper rivers. Charles Town (renamed Charleston in 1783) was the political, social, and economic center of South Carolina throughout the colonial and antebellum periods. Also, it served as the state capital until 1790.

The English and French Huguenot settlers along with their African slaves built indigo, rice, and cotton plantations by the area's rivers and on its sea islands. Merchants of many nationalities made Charleston one of the busiest ports on the Atlantic. During the Revolutionary War, the American forces defeated the attacking British fleet at Charleston in June 1776; a palmetto log fort (later named Fort Moultrie) on Sullivans Island withstood the British cannon balls, and the palmetto tree was subsequently given a prominent place on the South Carolina flag. At another Charleston fort, Fort Sumter, federal troops were fired on by Confederate forces in April 1861, signaling the start of the Civil War.

Today, Charleston County is a busy community home to one of the busiest seaports on the East Coast, a significant military presence (Naval Weapons Station/Air Force Base), and a vibrant economy. Tourism, high-tech manufacturing and services, and businesses related to the port and military are some of the County's key economic generators. The County is also home to several colleges and universities, including the College of Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston Southern and Trident Technical College.

Given the County's rich history, there are many tourism sites, some of which are featured below. The Charleston-area is also home to a number of annual festivals, including the Spoleto Festival USA, which turns Charleston into the performing arts capital of the country. The Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is the best place to plan your trip to Charleston County, but feel free to check out to links below for information on Charleston County sites and festivals.

<<Back to the District Map