To Greensboro, on the Richmond & Danville and Piedmont Railways, is 189 miles; thence on the North Carolina Railway to Charlotte, 93 miles; then on the Charlotte & S. Carolina railway to Columbia, S. C., 107 miles (Nickerson’s hotel, $3.00 per day, newly fitted up); thence by the Columbia Branch of the South Carolina Railway to Charleston, 130 miles.
Salisbury, N. C., 150 miles south of Greensboro, is the most convenient point to enter the celebrated mountain regions of North Carolina. A railway runs thence to Morgantown, in the midst of the sublime scenery of the Black mountains, and in close proximity to the beautiful falls of the Catawba. Charlotte (hotel, the Mansion House), is in the center of the gold region of North Carolina, and the site of a United States Branch Mint. It is also the scene of the battle of Guilford Court House, during the revolutionary war.
The capitol, in Columbia, is considered a very handsome building.
Hotels.– *Charleston Hotel, Mills House (newly furnished), both on Meeting Street. Charges, $4.00 per day. *Pavilion Hotel. Mr. Butterfield, proprietor, $3.00 per day, also on Meeting Street. Planter’s Hotel, Church Street, Victoria House, King Street, both $2.50 per day.
Telegraph Office, on Broad near Church Street; branch office in Charleston Hotel.
Post Office, on Hazel Street, near Meeting.
Churches.– Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Huguenot, Methodist, &c.
Theatre, at the corner of King and Market Streets.
Bathing Houses.– One of salt water near the battery; two, with water of the artesian well, one at the well, the other in the Charleston Hotel.
Livery Stable, 21 Pinckney Street, connected with the Charleston Hotel.
Street Cars run on several of the streets; fare, 10 cts., 15 tickets for $1.00. All the hotels have omnibuses waiting at the depots.
Physician.– Dr. Geo. Caulier, 158 Meeting Street.
Newspapers.– The Daily Courier, the Daily News.
Depots.– The depot of the Northeastern R. R. from Wilmington to the north, is at the corner of Chapel and Washington Sts.; that of the road to Savannah is at the foot of Mill street; and that of the S. C. R. R. to Aikin, Augusta, Atlanta, etc., is in Line street, between King and Meeting streets.
Bookseller.– John Russell, 288 King street. (Brinton’s Guide-Book.)
Libraries.– Charleston library, 30,000 vols.; Apprentices’ library, 12,000 vols.
Charleston claims 40,000 inhabitants, the whites and blacks being about equal in number. It is curious that since the war the mortality of the latter has been twice as great as of the whites.
The city is seven miles from the ocean at the junction of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and has an excellent harbor, surrounded by works of defence. On the sea line is Fort Moultrie; Castle Pinkney stands at the entrance to the city; south of the latter is Fort Ripley, built of palmetto logs; while in the midst of the harbor stands the famous Fort Sumter.
The ravages caused by the terrible events of the late war have yet been only very partially repaired in Charleston. The greater part of the burnt district is deserted and waste.
The history of Charleston, previous to that event, is not of conspicuous interest. The city was first commenced by English settlers, in 1672, and for a long time had a struggling existence. Many of its early inhabitants were Huguenots, who fled thither to escape the persecutions which followed the revocation of the edict of Nantes. A church is still maintained in which their ancient worship is celebrated.
Of public buildings, the ancient church of St. Michael’s, built about 1750, has some claim to architectural beauty.
The fashionable quarter of the city is the Battery. *Magnolia cemetery, on the Cooper river, is well worth a visit. It is one of the most beautiful in the South. It was laid out in 1850, and contains some handsome monuments.
The Custom House is a fine building, of white marble.
Those who wish to visit Fort Sumter, and review the scenes of 1861, can be accommodated by a small sailing vessel, which leaves the wharf every morning at 10.30 o’clock.
In the church-yard of St. Philip’s is the tomb of John C. Calhoun. A slab, bearing the single word “Calhoun,” marks the spot.
The museum of the Medical College is considered one of the finest in the United States.
4. AIKEN, S. C., AND THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
Within the past ten years the advantages for invalids of a residence in the highlands of the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee have been repeatedly urged on the public. The climate in these localities is dry and mild, exceedingly well adapted, therefore, for such cases as find the severe cold of Minnesota irritating, and the moist warmth of Florida enervating. Aiken, S. C., Atlanta, Ga., Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga, East Tennessee, and other localities offer good accommodations, and have almost equal advantages in point of climate. Like other resorts, they do not agree with all invalids, but they are suitable for a large class.
One of the best known and most eligible is
From Aiken to Augusta, 16 miles, $1.00. From Augusta to Atlanta by the Georgia railway, 171 miles, $8.50; 11 hours.
Hotels.– The National, on Peach Tree Street, $4.00 per day; the United States and the American, opposite the depot, $3.00 per day.
Telegraph Office in Kimball’s Opera House. Post Office, corner of Alabama and Broad streets.
Bathing House on Alabama street, near U. S. Hotel.
Circulating Library at the Young Men’s Library Association on Broad street.
Atlanta has about 20,000 inhabitants. The water is pure, the air bracing, and the climate resembles that of Northern Italy. The Walton Springs are in the city, furnishing a strongly chalybeate water, much used, and with great success, as a tonic. The fall and spring months are peculiarly delightful, and the vicinity offers many pleasant excursions.
Communication by rail either to Chattanooga and East Tennessee, or south to Macon, etc., is convenient.
5. – FROM CHARLESTON TO SAVANNAH
The tourist has the choice of the railway via Coosawhatchie, or via Augusta, Georgia, or the steamers. The first mentioned road was destroyed during the war, and is not yet in running order.
Steamboats also leave Charleston every Thursday and Saturday, direct for Fernandina, Jacksonville and Palatka, and should be chosen by those who do not suffer from seasickness. They are roomy, and the table well supplied.
Hotels.– *Screven House, Pulaski House, both $4.00 a day. *Marshall House, $3.00 per day, $15.00 per week, an excellent table. *Pavilion Hotel, Mr. Noe. Proprietor; a quiet, pleasant house for invalids, $3.00 per day.
Boarding Houses.– Mrs. McAlpin, South Broad street; Mrs. Kollock, South Broad street; Mrs. Savage, Barnard Street; all $3.00 per day, $14.00 per week.
Post Office and Telegraph Office on Bay street, near the Pulaski House.
Street Cars start from the post office to various parts of the city. Fare, 10 cents; 14 tickets for $1.00. Omnibuses meet the various trains, and steamboats will deliver passengers anywhere in the city for 75 cents each.
Livery Stables are connected with all the hotels.
Restaurants.– The best is the Restaurant Francais, in Whitaker Street, between Bay and Bryan Streets.
Newspapers.– Daily Savannah News, Daily Morning News.
Bookstores.– J.