Earth House Update and Apology

Well Gang, I have to apologize for the delays and technical glitches in trying to bring you the tour of the "Earth House" in Winnsboro, S. C. that I bragged so much about.   I'm not sure what the deal is - but - as I posted a while back, I've been having trouble uploading videos and even pictures!!!  So ....  I've admitted ... well, not defeat but a temporary truce.  I'm going to continue working on the videos because I really wanted you to have a tour of the "Earth House" we recently discovered.  But - we're going to "truck on" and try to fill you in with some pictures that I did manage to capture from the video. Because it has been so long, let me brief you on where this is.

Most of you know that we live in the fantastic metropolis of  Ridgeway, S. C. (population slightly over 400) and often travel from here to the upper part of the state to help with some family matters.  Our route takes us on S. C. Highway 34 over to I-26 and then on to the 'upstate.'   About 12 miles from Ridgeway we take a left turn on Hwy 34 and head toward Newberry, S. C.  Right at the junction of Hwy 34 and US 321 there is a unique art studio called the "Painted Picket" owned by local artist and Architecture Instructor, Christy Buchanan.  We put up some pictures of the studio last time but, again, could not get the videos posted.  Anyway - on the left side of the studio is a structure that is a project of the Architectural Drafting program at Midlands Technical College - the "Earth House."   On the right is a picture of Christy.  She is an extremely articulate and engaging young lady and is obviously devoted to "Green Construction."  I didn't get a chance to talk to many of her students but the picture on the left shows a group of them excitedly inspecting a huge solar panel designed and built by one of their colleagues.  I didn't get to spend much time with it but what I saw was extremely impressive in design and workmanship!!! 

As I said earlier, these photographs are actually captured from the video I was trying to post and I'll try to go back and get some more so you will have a better idea of how this whole thing is laid out.  For now, though, let me say that Christy refers to it as "stacked hay" construction.  The picture to the right (sorry about the quality) shows a portion of the wall and a glimpse of the 'sleeping loft' on the second floor.  Originally, Christy had planned for the 'hay-bale' walls to actually be 'load-bearing' but because the pace of construction was slower than she had hoped (to allow all of the students to keep pace with each other) and because they added the sleeping loft they decided to add several 4x4s as support columns.  Although you can't see it well in the picture, the hay bales are 'faced' with a net-type wire and will eventually be coated with a stucco-like surface.  During the tour Christy noted that one section of the wall had experienced some mold development due to a leak in the second floor deck but that it was actually an opportunity to show the students how segments of the walls can be cut out with a chain saw and replaced with little difficulty. (Although I thought it was kinda cool because the hay is a great medium for growing mushrooms!)

When you enter the structure you immediately notice about a ten to fifteen degree drop in temperature due to the insulating properties of the hay.  The first floor of the structure is quite spacious right now with a large 'living room/den' area at the front.  As you continue into the house you pass the area where the kitchen will eventually be and space for a good-sized bathroom.  The window units are well constructed and will utilize materials designed to maximize insular qualities - and - the hay allows for creative "carving" so that the sills and recessed windows can be used for plants, seating or decorations.  The back deck was constructed with cement (there were lots of 'reasons' for everything that was done but I forgot most of them!!) and overlooks a beautiful slope that descends about 200 feet to a creek at the far end of Christy's property.  They plan to install a "zip line" later on.  Many (if not all) of the support columns for the upper deck and porches were cedar tree-trunks that were removed during clearing of the land.

The upper deck (that ultimately leads to the loft area) will really be attractive and will offer a fantastic place to enjoy the sunsets in the evening.  But - it is also being designed with a unique "membrane" that will allow for extreme watertight integrity and will enable them to grow whatever plants they wish on the second level.  In the picture to the left you can see the section that will ultimately have the 'membrane'  (it's the dark part) and the doorway leading to the loft.  To the left (you can't see it in the picture) is a section with plenty of room for seating and a wonderful place to enjoy the South Carolina springtime.  In the picture on the right, Christy is showing where a collection system will be installed that will allow them to capture virtually all rainwater that falls on the structure and to channel it into cisterns for use in their agriculture projects.  As time goes on this project will continue to refine the use of ecologically friendly methods for everything from power to water utilization; from agricultural innovation to structural creativity.  This particular project might be viewed by some as a rather 'elementary' effort by a bunch of young people just finding their way in this new century and new world.  But I'm here to tell you folks, these kids are really GREAT!!!!!!  They (and their dynamic instructor) are paving the way for a whole new world and we should be supporting them 100%.  Again, I apologize for the technical glitches I have encountered (or created) and I hope to bring you better quality material in the near future.  We are still working on new and exciting trips so, hang in there with us.  See ya.

Back to the Midlands - Earth House Winnsboro

Well folks, it's been a day or so since we got together but we've been busy with a lot of stuff around here - including plans for our next trip.  We've been looking at a couple of really interesting spots that we think you would enjoy and we'll let you know soon what we're going to be able to do.  Whatever we decide, I promise it will be somewhere you will have fun visiting and we will certainly have fun with you along!!!!  In the meantime, though, I stopped by a place the other day I thought you might find interesting and decided to share it with you.  It is an unusual little spot in the unlikely location of Winnsboro, S. C.   As some of you are aware, we travel to the upper part of South Carolina rather frequently to tend to some family responsibilities.  Since we are inclined to favor the more "scenic" routes rather than the Interstate Highway system we take the back roads from wonderful Ridgeway.  Our route takes us through the small town of Winnsboro and just on the outskirts of town there is a really funky little art store called "The Painted Picket."  It has some of the most unusual original artworks you have ever seen!!!  For example, right in front of the porch that leads to the entrance is an arch ... made of bicycles!!  The owner is a really cool young lady by the name of Christy Buchanan.  She has been an active and prolific artist for a number of years and has produced some really interesting works.  You owe it to yourself to drop by her studio if you're ever in the area.  I have to admit, when I first entered the "Painted Picket" I was a bit overwhelmed.  The variety and diverse media used in Christy's pieces are simply amazing and the impact of seeing the studio all at once was a bit daunting.  After taking a step back and beginning to analyze the pieces individually I gradually began to appreciate the fertile mind and remarkable talent that created these unusual and colorful artworks.  As time went on my appreciation grew and I am proud to say that we own several pieces of her work.  But ...  here's the deal ...  not only is Christy a fine artist, she also teaches architecture at Midlands Technical College in Columbia!!!!!!!!  Now, that alone is interesting enough but there's more.  On the other side of the Painted Picket studio is a strange structure rising from the ground.  When we first saw it we thought someone was simply playing with hay bales.  As we continued to pass by the location we began to understand that it was actually going to be a building of some kind.  Turns out it is another version of the "Earth House."  (Remember our visit to the 'Earth Ship' in Todos Santos??)  It is a project Christy is using to teach her students about ecologically friendly construction.  We're going to have a good visit there with a tour of the building conducted by Christy (if I can get the video working!!!!!!!)  So we won't spend too much time here today.  I also have a video of the Painted Picket art works that I want to show you too - but - I'm having some technical issues with the pesky video stuff.  We'll get it though - it might just take a little time.  In the meantime, we'll be working on all that stuff and at the same time, continuing our preparations for new and interesting trips.  Hang in there, we'll be back before long.  See ya.

City Views - Charleston

If you've ever been to Washington, DC and walked around the downtown area you have most likely had the experience of encountering hidden treasures in the most unlikely places at unexpected times.  Little fountains, gardens, statues, pathways and patios pop up in the most unusual places.  Well - that's exactly the kind of experiences you will have walking around downtown Charleston.  It is like being on a 'grown-up' Easter Egg Hunt!!!  A number of parks - large and small - dot the landscape and they are spectacularly wonderful places to enjoy a cool spring morning - or - to escape Charleston's blistering heat during  the summer months. But it is not just the parks, homes and churches that get special attention here; even public buildings are showcases. We certainly won't be able to visit all of them (or even very many)  given our short time here - but we'll try to give you an idea of what there is to see.  A good place to start is where famous Broad Street meets State Street at the intersection known as the "four corners of government".  In this spot, the courthouse (site of state government until the mid-1800s), City Hall, the Federal Building and Post Office and St. Michael's Episcopal Church represent - State Law, Municipal Law, Federal Law and Canon Law.  Just stop there for a moment and look around you .... you'll see numerous reminders of the explosion of change in society that was taking place when Charleston was born.  On the north side of the intersection you encounter the birthplace of one of our most mysterious and talked-about organizations, The Masons.  It was here in 1737, at Shepherd's Tavern that The Grand Lodge of Masons was formed.  Nearly seventy years later, at the same location, the Scottish Rite Order was added.  Whether you care anything about fraternal organizations such as this or not, you have to acknowledge the huge influence they have had on the people who formed our nation.  The Masons continue to play a key role in many aspects of our society and the Scottish Rites Order - with the creation of the Shriners' Hospital - has brought hope to many severely injured young people who would otherwise be unable to imagine a positive future.  I'm not a Mason and I don't want to sound like their publicist but I do appreciate people who unselfishly - and often anonymously - devote their lives to helping others.  Some of them are never known.  Some achieve fame or notoriety because of the circumstances in which they find themselves.  Rounding the corner beyond Charleston City Hall we spot a place where individuals in both categories may be found - Washington Park.  Most of us assume that any historical site named "Washington" refers to our first President.  This spot, however, is dedicated to the Washington Light Infantry and their loyal service to their state and their cause in the War Between The States.  Ironically, however, there are few other tributes to that terrible conflict.  I think it simply shows that the sponsors of the monument - as Charlestonians so often do - demonstrated their appreciation for devotion to duty, faithfulness to a strongly held belief and devotion to the land of your birth.

It is often difficult to learn the true facts about the early days of individuals who eventually became famous but who in their early days were not so well known.  Such is the case with our seventh President, Andrew Jackson.  But if learning about "Old Hickory" is hard, try learning about his mom, Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson!!!  What we do know, however, is that she was about as tough as a colonial lady could be and suffered enormous personal tragedy in her short forty four years.  Arriving in the colonies several years before the battle for independence began, Elizabeth and her husband (Andrew Sr.) added three sons to the family between 1763 and 1767 with Andrew Jr. being born a month after the death of his father.  All three boys served in the revolutionary forces with only Andy
surviving the war.  Hugh, the eldest, died at the battle of Stono Ferry near Charleston in 1779.  Captured and imprisoned in Camden, S.C. Andrew and his brother Robert contracted smallpox and were released.  Robert lost his life to the disease but Andrew recovered enabling Elizabeth to travel to Charleston where she volunteered to nurse colonial soldiers suffering from cholera on a prison ship in Charleston Harbor.  She eventually contracted the disease and lost her life as a result of her valiant decision to help others.  She is remembered with a memorial in Charleston's 'Washington

Poet Laureate of Confederacy

Park'. We have seen monuments to soldiers, to mothers volunteering their service and their lives to care for those caught up in the horrible maul of war and now we take a look at very different kind of patriot - one whose contribution was made not through physical strength or stamina but through the creations of a fertile mind and a passionate love for his native state.  The picture above and to the left is of the memorial to Henry Timrod often referred to as the Poet Laureate of the Confederacy.  Although prevented by ill health from ongoing service in the military forces of the C.S.A., his poetry is given tributes for inspiring loyalty to the southern cause and credited with stimulating military enlistments.  His contributions to the poetic and literary life of the state were enormous - and - many students of his work describe eerie similarities between Timrod and Bob Dylan!!  (Whoa!!)  Tiny Washington Park contains a tremendous array of monuments to - and final resting places of - famed figures from the history of the state.  I regret we can't spend more time in this magic place but - if you're ever in Charleston on a warm summer day and you need a cool and refreshing place to take a break - head for Washington Park!!

Charleston City Hall Stairway

Walking through the park and heading back up Broad to the entrance to City Hall we arrive at another one of those portals into our time machine we talked about at Fort Moultrie.  Although it might seem kind of "ho-hum" to visit an active, modern city building, this one is different for sure.  Since we wanted to spend some time in the City Council Chamber we headed immediately to the

Charleston City Hall Chambers

second floor and were transported back in time the second we entered the room.  Folks, this place is absolutely breathtaking.  Suffering damage from hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and decay over the years the building has seen several efforts to bring it into current times.  Several years ago, however, the city made an ambitious commitment to bring the venerable old structure into the twenty-first century while maintaining the beauty and dignity of centuries gone by.  The success of their effort is nothing short of astonishing.  There is

Robert Hayne - Intendant, Governor

no way I can fairly and thoroughly review all of the art treasures, historical memorabilia and architectural wizardry that are represented in this magnificent location.  If you do get the opportunity to visit, however, you will be pleased to know that there is a docent-in-residence available most of the time during visiting hours who can help you understand the spectacular range of features to be

Charleston's Historic Leaders

found here.  As we have so often during this trip to the Holy City, we have again reached the "saturation point".  We could spend another three or four pages simply talking about the things we encountered as we journeyed from South Battery to Market Street and back again to the Battery.  But, we have tried to be considerate of how much time you have to spend with us.  You again performed "above and beyond" and we appreciate your faithfulness.  We hope we've convinced you that you really do need to come down to the Charleston peninsula for a visit to one of our favorite places. We'll close for now but we'll be back for a closing note or two and to explain our detour to Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island yesterday.  Thanks again for being valuable members of our team.  We look forward to traveling with you again.  See ya.

What's In A Name? ... Fort Moultrie

Well folks, we had planned to go back downtown to look at the parks and city buildings that are so extraordinary in this beautiful city but - as we were putting photos together and talking about the things we had seen we got kinda excited about our trip out to Sullivan's Island.  So - we made an executive decision to take you out there before we go back downtown.  But don't worry - there's a lot to see in the city and we want you to be there with us.  For now, though - we'll leave town heading east on U.S. Highway 17 and we immediately encounter one of Charleston's newest "wonders of the world" - the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.  With all due respect to Mr. Ravenal who played a significant role in S. C. politics and in the city, I've gotta tell you - to most South Carolinians the bridge over the Cooper River between Charleston and Mount Pleasant will always be known as "The Cooper River Bridge."  This structure - which replaced the old Grace Memorial and Silas Pearman Bridges is a true engineering marvel.  I won't take the time here to go into all of the amazing features but I had the privilege of meeting and talking to one of the designers and believe me - this thing is incredible.  I regret that we wont get to spend some time on the bridge or the place located at the other end that has such extraordinary meaning for me - Mount Pleasant - but we've got things to see!!!
Imagine, if you will, having a "time machine" with which you could travel back and forth in time, observing 'history' as it was being made and then zipping forward to see the change the passage of time brought. Well, a visit to Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, S.C. can simulate that experience for you. Located on the other side of the Ben Sawyer Bridge from the Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island - despite it's awesome history - has remained largely undiscovered by 'developers' until recently. Now, this formerly quiet haven has begun to stir with the increased interest of those who recognize the incredible potential for gracious living here. New homes have carefully been integrated into the historic seashore cottages and homes in a tasteful blend. But a brief walk on the beach is all it takes to transport me back in time more than six decades to summers spent with treasured family members.  Even more recently - the Uncle I mentioned, whose home on Queen Street we visited yesterday, took Linda and me to lunch at Dunleavy's Bar and Grill here during our last visit with him. But

Sullivan's Island Lighthouse

the object of our visit today involves history of a different kind - the creation of a State and a Nation and a people adjusting to unbelievable changes in their world.  As far back as the early 1700's it was clear to the people who settled Colonial South Carolina that the points of land at the tips of Sullivan's and James' Islands were strategically crucial to the defense of the Charleston peninsula.  Fort Johnson, built in 1704 at "Windmill Point" on James Island, was the first site of the city's defenses.  It was not until hostilities between the Colonies and England escalated to the point of war that an additional fort on Sullivan's Island(now known as Ft. Moultrie) was planned.  Originally named "Fort Sullivan" it was still under construction when William Moultrie, Commander of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment (a position also held by his older brother some years earlier) was given command.  Since there was no flag representing the state or the fledgling colonial forces at the time, Moultrie took the crescent moon that decorated the 2nd Regiment uniform caps and placed it on a field of blue (the color of the uniform jackets of his troops) and raised it over the fort.  Shortly thereafter, British forces attacked the harbor and Fort Sullivan expecting to destroy the palmetto log structure.  To their extreme surprise, the palmetto logs absorbed the cannonballs with little effect and the British were successfully repulsed.  Later, a palmetto tree was added to

General William Moultri

Moultrie's flag in honor of it's role in the defense of Charleston and it became the flag of South Carolina.  As you can tell, the fort was named for Moultrie and he was ultimately promoted to the position of Major General, the last person to receive that rank from Congress.  Fort Moultrie protected the city, the state and the country for more than 170 years and memorabilia from each era of its existence can be found there today.  It is the only park in the National Parks system that contains exhibits covering the entire history of our use of coastal defense fortifications - from 1776 to 1947.  In fact the fort has seen some very unusual parts of our history.  As most of us remember from school, when the U. S. flag was designed the original intent was to add a star and a stripe for each new state that was added.  We followed that plan until Vermont and New Jersey joined the union in 1791 and 92, bringing the total of stars and stripes to fifteen.  Seeing that things were going to get a bit crowded for future states, Congress made the decision to drop back to the original thirteen stripes with each new state getting a star on the July 4th following its admission.  Since hostilities between the U.S. and Great Britain caused the fort to be re-opened in 1809 the flag that flew then is still flown today.  It was this version of our flag that Francis Scott Key was watching at Fort McHenry when he was inspired to write our national anthem.  Of course, not just the flag but military technology changed dramatically over the years.  The revolutionary war era guns seem tiny compared to those that followed shortly afterward and served to defend the fort during the War of 1812.  Continued advancements resulted in even greater firepower in only a few short years.  As the years went by the fort was expanded and new gun emplacements were added.  The varied combatants that both attacked and defended Fort Moultrie spanned a dizzying array of national allegiances.  American revolutionaries, British troops, Southern Secessionists and Union Soldiers all took their turns over the years.  As the rhetoric grew more and more heated, Maj. Robert

Fort Sumter Seen From Fort Moultrie - April 11, 2012

Anderson, commander of the facility in 1861 moved his troops to newly created Fort Sumter in the harbor.  While Fort Sumter was difficult to see in the photos we looked at the other day, Linda took an amazing shot that includes something that almost proved that we were in a time machine!!!!  Take a look at this shot on the left!! No, you're not hallucinating, that really is a three-masted schooner sailing by!!   You can almost imagine being there as the soldiers at Fort Johnson on the other side of the harbor and the Citadel Cadets on the Battery began preparing to open fire and bring the nation into a four year nightmare.  It would not be long before one of Major Anderson's former students at West Point, General P.G.T. Beauregard, would lead Southern troops in taking Fort Sumter and the nightmare was underway for real.  As the world became smaller and new foes were threatening, the old fort gathered her strength for another tour of duty.  World War II saw the final chapter in coastal defense forts and the changes to Fort Moultrie were astonishing.  Expanded troop levels, new ways of communicating, totally new responsibilities (the fort now became a major meteorological station) changed things forever here.  Although the historical events that took place here are amazing, to me it is equally remarkable how many extraordinary leaders have commanded the facility.  We don't have time to talk about all of them but one of the most remarkable of all was a man who would ultimately become one of the greatest military - and civilian - leaders our country has known.  General George Marshall served here prior to the time that he was chosen by President Roosevelt to lead our armed forces.  During my service days there were Europeans who flatly stated to me that General Marshall saved their countries with "The Marshall Plan."  During WWII my own father served at Ft. Moultrie for a time so the ties for me just keep coming!! Interestingly, the fort has also been the scene of some other incredible historical events.  There are monuments here that attest to the complexity of our military history and the confusing relationships Americans have had with each other.  The long, tragic history of conflict between Native Americans and European Americans is something that continues to haunt us over the years.  In the 1830s, when the U.S. Government decided to re-locate Seminole Indians living in Florida, armed resistance flared up.  One of the greatest leaders of the indians was Osceola.  Captured by forces in Florida, he was imprisoned and later transferred to Fort Moultrie where he remained until his death from malaria just three months after his capture.  Despite his role in the Second Seminole War, Osceola was highly respected by people on both sides of the conflict.  He was buried with full military honors and has been recognized with memorials throughout the land including a national park named for him in Florida.  Near Osceola's grave is another sad memorial.  It is an obelisk shaped much like the Washington Monument commemorating the sailors of the USS Patapsco that struck a Confederate mine and sunk in Charleston Harbor in January of 1865, just three months before the surrender at Appomatox Courthouse.  Well, I know I've just gone on and on in this post but it was such an emotional one for me that I just couldn't help it.  There is so much history here and the people who were the centerpieces of that story were so very, very real - almost larger than life.  But then you realize that it was all of them - General Moultrie's brave regiment, Maj. Anderson's company of less than 200 (13 of whom were musicians) braving the might of overwhelming forces, countless soldiers, sailors and marines who unhesitatingly stepped into the very doorway of death to serve the colony, the state, the nation they loved.  Wow!!!  Well folks, we're just about at the end of our visit to Charleston but we'll probably come back for a few final notes.  You wouldn't believe how many pictures we DIDN'T get to add but there's only so much you can absorb!!!  Anyway, thanks for joining us.  Come on back soon for more adventures with SCTravelersX3.  See ya.




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Location:Charleston, S.C.

Charleston's Magnificent Churches

Virtually every street in Charleston contains hidden treasures that are almost guaranteed to awe even the most veteran tourist.  Streets that lead to the battery - King, Meeting, East Bay and others - should all be visited, preferably on foot, pedi-cab or horse-drawn carriage.  But my favorite is Church Street.  In my

Charleston Carriage

view, for sheer beauty, history and variety there is no more beautiful street in the country.  To get us somewhat oriented, the tip of the Charleston peninsula has two streets that form the major boundaries.  Murray Boulevard curves gracefully in from the west and right at the eastern end of Battery Park (White Point Gardens) it runs into East Battery Street which continues along the Battery waterfront until you reach the large city park known as Hazel Parker Playground.  (That's a great place to walk by the way.)  At that point East Battery becomes East Bay Street which we'll visit later.  King Street, one of the main thoroughfares in Charleston runs perpendicular to Murray Boulevard and ends at the seawall.  The other streets we've been talking about - Meeting St., Church St., East Bay - all parallel King St.  The street that forms the northern border of Battery Park is South Battery Street and we will begin our stroll up Church Street from that point.  Passing through these homes is like walking through a jewel orchard as we continue up Church and make a little "zig-zag" at Water Street.  As we continue on and pass Tradd Street we see some of the homes we visited yesterday - and an art gallery that was once the studio of famed artist Elizabeth O'Neill Verner. (38 Tradd St.)  The picture on the left is from the corner of Church and Broad Streets a little further up than our starting point.  In the distance you can see the steeple of St. Phillips Episcopal Church which we'll visit in just a bit.  First, though, we pass Broad and Chalmers Streets and at the corner of Queen and Church we encounter the French Hugenot Church.  Built shortly after the arrival of members of the faith in 1687 the church was one of the earliest formed in Charleston and is presently one of the longest continual congregations in the country.  Damaged by fire in 1796 the building was razed and rebuilt in 1800.  The present building dates from 1844.  Although services today are in English, the church continues to celebrate the coming of spring with a service in French each year.  If you'll remember from our walk yesterday we talked about the re-naming of Dock Street to the present name, Queen Street, well, looking across the street we catch a glimpse of the incredible Dock Street Theater.   During the early summer of each year, Charleston explodes with cultural events in the fabulous "Sploleto Festival."  Founded by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1977 the festival brings an absolutely stunning array of art, music and theater to the South Carolina low country.  For the performances that can be accomodated there, the Dock Street provides an intimate, enchanting venue.  Scheduled for May 25th through June 10th this year, the Spoleto Festival is an event you really should make an effort to attend.  You won't be sorry!!  Moving on up Church Street we approach a section of the road that has always fascinated me.  Directly between the front of Saint Phillips' Episcopal Church and the churchyard on the other side, Church Street does this amazing little turn that seems to be intended to emphasize the grandeur of the majestic structure.  (As if it needed it!!)  Anyway, we've added a picture but unfortunately road construction was underway and the traffic cones prevent you from getting a good picture of the unique little "zig".  St. Phillips, founded in 1680 and the oldest continuous congregation in Charleston, has always been a warm and welcoming church.  It has regularly scheduled visiting opportunities and there is almost always someone from the parish there to offer historical background information.  On Wednesdays the church is open for prayer and during those hours photographs are not permitted.  Since we were there on Wednesday and wanted to take advantage of the time for prayer, out of respect for others who were there we didn't take any pictures inside the church but maybe we can come back later and get some!!  What we did get a chance to do, though, was to talk with one of the parishioners about the amazing painting of Saint Simeon, by Charles DuPre DeAntonio, shown above.  DeAntonio actually "chose" St. Phillips' to receive his painting based on his respect for their theology.  The setting for the picture is actually the steps of the church and the light shown above St. Simeon is the actual light inside the narthax.  The people who served as models for Jesus, Mary and Joseph are 'living Charlestonians'.  Wow, what an honor.  We had a delightful visit to St. Phillips and I really hope you'll take the time to visit if you're in the area.  From there we ambled west toward Meeting Street which is simply chock full of good stuff to see.  But - we were on a "mini-quest" so our destination was the "Circular Congretational Church at 150 Meeting Street.  This church, now affiliated with the "Church of Christ" is one of the most fascinating in Charleston to me.  Originally formed by English Congregationalists, Scots Presbyterians and French Hugenots the church was fiercely independent and sought to break down theological barriers that separated people.  Their beliefs were primarily focused on establishing a solid fellowship between people of all races, backgrounds, genders and ages and, even in the early years of the colony, included slaves in the congregation.  It is a gorgeous structure and, although it was rebuilt (with bricks from the original structure) following a fire, the rectory and other buildings are original.  This structure was incredible in its original design by Robert Mills - designer of the Washington Monument (and a resident of Columbia!!!) and was the first "domed" structure of its kind in the nation.  (Remember our visit to Salt Lake City and the Mormon Tabernacle a while back???)  On our way over to Meeting Street we were also able to glimpse one of my favorite places on the entire planet - St. Michael's Episcopal Church in whose churchyard a number of my ancestors reside.  St. Michael's has an absolutely intriguing history and I won't even attempt to recap it here.  Let it suffice to say that St. Michael's and St. Phillip's have traded names and locations over the years!!!!  And, although I can't verify the lineage of either church, St. Michael's and Christ Church in Boston (The Old North Church) were both designed by (or at least inspired by) famed architect Christopher Wren.  I have always heard that the churches were built from the same architectural plans and, having visited both they sure look alike to me.  (Although the pulpit and lectern in St. Michael's are unique and extraordinary.)  And - since St. Michael's was built in 1680 and Christ Church in 1720 it's a little hard to verify the history.  But - both have a permanent and beloved place in the history of the United States, Massachusetts and South Carolina.  Wow, I'm starting to feel downright holy!!!!  You should be too - after all, you've been with us every step of the way.  We've only touched on a tiny sampling of the churches, temples and synagogues with which Charleston is blessed.  They each have their own unique history, background and traditions and when you talk to parishioners at any of them you can absolutely feel the sincerity with which they practice their faith.  On our trip we also took time to visit First Presbyterian (Scots), First Baptist and Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue on Hasell Street but I would guess that you are about worn out from all this walking and visiting.  I suppose the bottom line is that Charleston has about as many churches as you can find in any similar geographical space anywhere and they are all vibrant, thriving communities of faith.  The people I have met at every one of them - church, temple, mosque, synagogue - continue to lift my spirits and cause me to believe that mankind does, indeed, have a future.  But - we've gotta work at it!!!  I really hate that we could not have visited more of these fantastic places with you but at least we've given you a brief glimpse of what's in store for you when (not "if" mind you - "when") you come.  When we come back we'll still be in downtown Charleston but we're going to take a look at some other kinds of structures.  I want to show you some of the city buildings, the parks and the monuments that are so numerous in the Holy City.  I think you'll be blown away by Charleston City Hall.  While remaining an active, aggressive political center the structure manages to exhibit the absolute epitome' of "Charleston Style".  I hope you'll join us as we visit Mayor Joe's office and the city council chambers.  It's something you won't want to miss.  See ya.