Free & Local, Part 4: West Of
It probably speaks volumes of Charleston, in particular the historic district at the tip of the peninsula (where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean), to note that surrounding areas are referred to as “East of” or “West of.”
The land west of the Ashley River was predominantly rural until the later years of the twentieth century. Longtime residents have shared many a tale of childhoods spent watching cows from the Coburg dairy grazing along what is now Savannah Highway and driving Ashley River Road through a tunnel of live oaks that stretched from the Maryville/Ashleyville area all the way to Summerville.
Today, the “West of” area is one of the most rapidly changing parts of the South Carolina Lowcountry. There are exciting areas of renewal (like the Avondale neighborhood with its new growth of boutiques, restaurants, and young professionals moving in) as well as heated controversy over new developments encroaching on protected wetlands and historic sites.
The dynamic nature of the area and the growing number of people with an active interest in it makes the local community newspaper, West Of, all the more important. Publisher Lorne Chambers spent four years as the music editor and distribution manager for Charleston City Paper before launching West Of in February 2005. An alumnus of College of Charleston, Chambers knows his territory well.
Look for a finely honed focus on local news inside as well as a calendar chock full of area happenings.
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3 responses so far ↓
1 Joan // Jul 21, 2007 at 11:22 am
It’s just so darned hard to find to find a copy of “West of.” I grab one every time I can get my hands on it and they have been so cool about using pictures I send.
2 Jason // Jul 23, 2007 at 5:44 am
Try the entrance to Total Wine near the intersection of Sam Rittenberg Blvd. and Ashley River Road. They usually have stacks of both West Of and Charleston City Paper.
3 Tressa Adabo // Aug 1, 2007 at 5:03 am
You writing brought back so much memories. I grew up in Maryville. I attended the now defunct Albemarle Elementary School in the 70’s and we used to walk to Coburg Dairy as a field trip. I remember there was a merry-g0-round there was was powered by handles that the riders would push and pull and every year kids would get sick and “throw up”. I remember going to charleston Landing on feild trips for the annual fun run and then visiting the zoo. One year my class actually walked there.
I came back to West Ashley in 2004 and it has grown and changed so much I couldn’t find my way around because of all the changes. The most shocking was the closing down of St. Andrews High School and Middleton High School to combine them all into one. I never dreamed that would happen. I remember the way my neighborhood was divided was that one one side of the street went to Middleton (my side) and the other went to St. Andrews. I remember that there were no school buses for children who went to Albenarle unless you were handicap. Everybody walked to school many of us from the same neighborhood. I lived on the corner of Armstrong Ave. My street was the first street in Maryville but because of the “tracks” (used to be railroad tracks but now a bike trail) ran directly behind my house my street was closer to the other neighborhood (forgot the name).
Now i’ve learned of an increase of crime and even murder there now. How sad, to see the area deteriorate.
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