One of the colorful aspects of Charleston’s scenic history is the city’s historic paving surfaces. Three are still common in the older parts of the city from long ago. Pictured here are Unity Alley, which features a combination of vitrified brick and Belgian Block. This type of brick, which was made in places such as the Catskill mountains, was densely pressed to hold up to the weight of vehicles, and popular in the early 1900’s. The Belgian Block, which many confuse with cobblestone, was cut from igneous quarries in the Northeast and was popular in the mid to late 1800’s. Pictured next is Chalmers Street, paved in true cobblestone, which was formed in riverbeds from the force of eroding water, and came from the Northeast and England, and became a common paving material in the late 1700’s. Come take one of my walking tours and find out about so many aspects that make Charleston a perfect place to visit on vacation.
