Choose Charleston

Wind and water have, over time, washed much of Morris Island away. Once it had been stripped bare of vegetation during the Civil War, the sea island had no defense left against erosion.

If we, as a people, really did learn from the past, there might be a hint and a half for us in that.

Morris Island, as we all know, is where the Battle of Battery Wagner took place on July 18, 1863. The 54th Massachusetts regiment led that assault (this was the famous battle depicted in the 1989 movie Glory starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick).

The memory of the soldiers who fought and died there should be sufficient reason for us to protect and preserve what is left of the island. But between over-ambitious developers and the constant action of the currents, it has been an uphill battle.

The Morris Island Lighthouse in particular is in special need of care. There was a time when a combination of structural damage and lost sand nearly put paid to the 130-plus year old monument.

Just as with anything else that we value, there is no one-time-fix or permanent remedy for Morris Island and its lighthouse. Preserving the past requires the efforts of both the present and the future.

Are we up to the challenge?

Ashley River Road is well known as not only a national scenic highway but also as home to historic treasures such as Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place.

 Top that off with the road’s position along the ecologically vital Ashley River and the necessity of maintaining a greenbelt for the area and one might think that this would be the last place anyone would dream of gouging out acres of old growth oaks and replacing them with new subdivisions.

Of course, as we all know, the battle to preserve Ashley River Road just goes on and on.

How bad is it already? Try to drive from Summerville to Charleston, or even just from Bees Ferry Road to the peninsula, during rush hour. The cars and trucks are lined up, bumper to bumper, for miles. How much worse will it be if developers are allowed to add even more high density subdivisions along the road?

A few sighs of relief came when the Ashley River Historic Overlay District was created, but now there is a proposal to reduce the size of that district.

Those who wish to make their opinion known on this should attend the meeting: Monday, June 18, at 7 p.m. County Council, St. George.

Charleston has long been nicknamed “The Holy City.” Steeples are the preeminent feature of our skyline and no matter where you stand on the peninsula, a church is within ready walking distance.

Also contributing to the nickname is the fact that older parts of the city retain a continental flavor. I’ve heard more than once of well-traveled folks choosing Charleston as a place to settle at the end of their wanderings because the ambiance is about as close to European as one is likely to find in the United States (New Orleans is sometimes cited as another option).

Plus, we’re polite as all get out.

Except, maybe, when we’re driving.

No walking tour of the historic district would be complete without pausing to appreciate several grand examples of our churches, including St. Philip’s, St. Michael’s, Circular Congregational, Congregation Beth Elohim, First (Scots) Presbyterian, and the Unitarian Church.

Burial grounds maintained by many of the churches offer walking paths where visitors may respectfully appreciate the local history of mortuary art. Students of History, Religion, or American Studies will find much to contemplate in the statuary and symbolism - from cherubs to death’s heads - to be found on grave markers from different eras.