Downtown Charleston is only three miles from the Atlantic Ocean, so it’s natural that sea-faring has always been a part of our past. Sadly, our maritime museum focuses only on World War II, when there has been so much naval history here since the 17th century. Many of Charleston’s citizens historically made their livelihood on ships, and such famous sea-farers as William Rhett, George Anson, James Misroon, Florence O’Sullivan, Francis Saltus would establish roots in a city where shipping is still the number one industry.
Symbols from the glory days of tall-masted ships still adorn grave markers throughout the historic city, but otherwise there is little minder that great sailing vessels were once built in local shipyards, and that daring commercial and military seafarers helped build this city by the sea.