Charleston, also known as the Holy City, is located in the southeastern region of the state South Carolina. The city was founded in 1870 and was originally named after King Charles II of England.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston Charleston has two interstate highways (26 and 526), seven major state highways, and four major U.S. highways.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston Charleston is home to the College of Charleston, the Citadel, and the Medical University of South Carolina.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston

Charleston is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city has a population of 96,650, and a metropolitan population of 659,191.http://www.crda.org/business/market_profile/?gclid=CK3DjqbB7aUCFYa7Kgod9xabng It is the county seat of Charleston County. The largest employer in the Charleston metropolitan area is the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR).http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston

Charleston was the southern-most point of English settlement during the late 1600s. In 1663, King Charles II of England granted the Carolina territory to the Lord’s Proprietors.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm The men were granted land for their loyalty to King Charles II. There was a condition that the land be named after King Charles II. Seven years later, Charles Towne was named for the king. In 1683, the city was renamed Charleston.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm By the 1770s, Charleston was the fourth largest port in the colonies behind Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm In 1793, cotton became Charleston’s major export.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm

On December 20, 1860, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm On January 9, 1861, the first shots of the Civil War were fired when Confederate soldiers opened fire on a Union ship that was entering Charleston’s harbor.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm The war ended the prosperity of the city. In 1886, Charleston experienced an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm After the war, the city began to prosper and grow again. In 1901, a naval base was established in the city.http://www.charlestonsfinest.com/articles/early-charleston.htm During the World Wars, most of the city’s economy relied heavily on the U.S. Naval Defense industry. When World War II was over, Charleston saw trade increase. Tourism became a major factor in Charleston’s economy.

Charleston lies at latitude 32.776 and longitude -79.93.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston The city has a total area of 134.2 square miles. http://www.census.gov The average high temperature is 76F. The average low temperature is 56F. Charleston is located on a peninsula bordering the Atlantic Ocean.http://www.census.gov The city has a subtropical climate with humid summers and warm winters. During the summer or fall, hurricanes become a threat to the area.

• The Charleston Museum
• American Military Museum
• Children's Museum of the Lowcountry
• Edisto Island Museum
• Karpeles Manuscript Museum
• Postal Museum
• Shem Creek Maritime Museum
• Summerville Dorchester Museum
• The Citadel Museum
• The Confederate Museumhttp://www.citytowninfo.com/places/south-carolina/charleston

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