Charleston Explained

Mermaid held captive in Charleston? Surely it can’t be true.. but why did so many witnesses claim to have seen this event? In spring of 1867, Dr. William G. Trott opened an apothecary at 106 Broad Street. Struggling to attract new customers against a popular Gullah root doctor, he claimed to have caught a mermaid to draw in business. The root doctor, seeing mermaids as powerful nature spirits, warned him of disaster. Soon after, Charleston experienced an unprecedented storm and severe flooding, and many blamed Dr. Trott and his mermaid. During a demonstration to prove the mermaid was a hoax, the roof collapsed, and witnesses claimed to see the mermaid swim away. Miraculously, the rain stopped shortly after. Was it real or just a scam? Let us know your thoughts!

JFK had an affair with a Nazi Spy?? 😳 1 King Street was once The Fort Sumter Hotel, and is home to a scandalous secret affair between JFK and an alleged Nazi Spy, Inga Arvad. Inga was described as a beautiful, radiant woman with the intelligence and charm to back it all up. In 1941 she moved to Washington D.C. to work for “The Washington Times Herald”. Through JFK’s sister Kathleen, the two met. JFK was 24 years old and worked in Naval Intelligence. Although Inga was a married woman, they quickly fell for each other, even referring to her as “Inga Binga”, however, this love story doesn’t end riding off into the sunset. Inga’s past as a Danish journalist interviewing several high ranking members of the Nazi party, including Adolf Hitler, caused major concerns. During surveillance, the FBI discovered the affair between her and JFK and he was soon transferred from D.C. to Charleston. In fact, his office was located in the residence at 29 East Battery, which was then being used by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. Although JFK moved to Charleston, the two still made efforts to see each other as much as they could. On one occasion, it was at the Fort Sumter Hotel on The Battery. Government agents believed Inga was in fact a Nazi Spy, and under orders from President Franklin D Roosevelt, the room (132) was to be wiretapped and an undercover agent followed the two around the city.The couple cut off their relationship and JFK was transferred to the Pacific theater of the war. The FBI investigation found no evidence that Inga was a spy, and they officially ended their surveillance.Do you think Inga a Nazi Spy? Let us know! •••#jfk #history #mystery #lovestory #charleston #ww2 #military #discover

The Footpad Murder of 1788 💀Did you know this St. Philip’s Church gravestone once explained how a murder was solved? On March 12, 1788, Nicholas Wightman left his Queen Street residence to make a stop at a tavern situated near the Meeting Street cattle gate. This gate marked the boundary to the neighboring shantytowns and pastures, near where the present day College of Charleston campus now sits. Nearby, another tavern, managed by Thomas Jones, was known for its patronage by thieves on foot, otherwise known as footpads. Locals also referred to this tavern as “a den of thieves and killers”. Wightman’s brother and friends came searching for him. Nicholas assured them he would be joining shortly and to return to their shop at Broad and Meeting St, “I’ll be leaving shortly and I’ll catch up with you,” he said, but he never made it. Later that night, his brother discovered him slumped near the cattle gate, shot dead with a pistol laying nearby.Demanding answers immediately, the brother was quick to call for police, but the police had already been to the tavern previously that night in regards to the theft of Dutch coins from a sea captain. Now having returned, they weren’t keen at all on going back in to investigate. That is, until a posse, including his Nicholas’ brother, showed up demanding justice. The group caught the suspected murderer and six accomplices known as “The Jones Tavern Gang”. The same gang causing unrest in the city with robberies and arsons. A large crowd gathered at the scene the next morning, among them a young boy who actually solved the murder. Identified only as “The young son of Edgar Wells, a merchant” on Wightman’s tombstone, he discovered a coat button in the street’s dust, matching the cloak of the same tavern-goer accused of stealing the sea captain’s coins.The gang members were tried, and executed. In the western churchyard Wightman’s gravestone detailed how the murder case was solved. The tombstone is

A bid farewell to Harold’s Cabin 🤝Harold Jacobs was born in 1913. His family moved to Hampton Park Terrace and in 1929 and opened their first shop selling snowballs. In the 1930’s, the family revamped the business into a neighborhood grocery store named Harold’s Cabin. It was now known for selling specialty items imported from around the world, such as olives and cheeses, but it’s also known as the first store in Charleston to sell Ritz crackers, along with being the first business to use a food freezer. Harold and his wife Lillian inherited the store in the 1940’s, and their success grew large enough that they needed more space. In the 1950’s they relocated to 84 Wentworth St where the store was so sought after that it became a stop on city tours. Harold’s Cabin was sold to Piggly Wiggly in 1964, however he and Lillian managed “Harold’s Cabin Gourmet Department” within the grocery store. He was a devoted member of our local community, and played a prominent role in Charleston’s Jewish community. He served as president of Temple KKBE, was a member of the Hebrew Orphan Society of Charleston, served the Christian Jewish Council of Greater Charleston, and much more. Passing away at the age of 96 in 2009, Harold left a legacy as an entrepreneur and pioneer in Charleston’s gourmet foods market. We’ve enjoyed the time this establishment has been in Charleston’s Westside neighborhood. Saturday, February 24th will be its last day in service, so stop by and experience a piece of Charleston’s history in Harold’s Cabin one last time. ••• #charleston #history #explore #discover #restaurant #store

The Streetcar Murder of 1936 🚃 #charleston #history #mystery

Poogan’s Porch is haunted by a women dressed in black? @poogansporchchs @tylerfisherrealestate Follow for more myths, facts & stories you’ve never heard about Charleston!! • • • #charleston #explore #haunted

Secret tunnels under Broad Street? Follow for more content like this! • • • #charleston #charlestonsc #southcarolina #lowcountry #chs #explorecharleston #mountpleasant #charlestonlife #summerville #charlestonliving #sc #southernliving #holycity #follybeach #chucktown #downtowncharleston #shoplocal #northcharleston #lowcountryliving #mtpleasant #westashley #chstoday #summervillesc #jamesisland #charlestonsouthcarolina #charlotte #goosecreek #danielisland #charlestonrealestate #travel

What’s the real history of Rainbow Row? Follow for more content like this! ••• #charleston #charlestonsc #southcarolina #lowcountry #chs #explorecharleston #mountpleasant #charlestonlife #summerville #charlestonliving #sc #southernliving #holycity #follybeach #chucktown #downtowncharleston #shoplocal #northcharleston #lowcountryliving #mtpleasant #westashley #chstoday #summervillesc #jamesisland #charlestonsouthcarolina #charlotte #goosecreek #danielisland #charlestonrealestate #travel

A 1920’s gangster was murdered on Market Street? During the Prohibition era, Market Street was the center of Charleston’s underworld. Frank J. “Rumpty Rattles” Hogan was a Lowcountry gangster involved in illegal liquor sales and the distribution network to several “blind tigers” around the city. He also had close relationships with many of those in power at that time. One hand washes the other as they say. Around 1am on October 25th, 1927, Rumpty was murdered in front of 141 Market St by a rival dealer, Leon Dunlap, in what we can only assume was an attempt to take out his competition. Mysteriously, Rumpty’s son-in-law “Country Boy Riggs” was with Leon that night. Both were arrested, however were eventually acquitted of the crime stating they acted in “self defense”. Could Leon Dunlap have taken the top seat with those in power in Charleston? If so, it’s entirely possible the jury was paid off so that Leon was now the new Lowcountry gangster in charge of liquor distribution. The mystery still remains to this day. •••#charleston #gangster #mystery #discover #explore

The Pink House is haunted by.. a pirate? 🏴‍☠️ Follow for myths, facts & stories you've never heard about Charleston, SC!

Why are homes in Charleston built sideways?

Do you know why homes in Charleston are built sideways? Follow for myths, facts & stories you've never heard about Charleston, SC!