The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

06/09/2026

"An Inside View of a Water Rice Machine as Used in South Carolina" from John Drayton's 1802 "A View of South Carolina".

06/08/2026

Kahal Kadash Beth Elohim, Charleston’s oldest synagogue, is allowing the public to tour its historic Coming Street Cemetery without a reservation on June 14. (Full story below.)

06/08/2026

A destructive hurricane, a sunken ship and pirate executions! Showcased today in Palmetto Primary is a 1700 account written by Edward Hyrne to his wife Elizabeth.

‘Most dear love

On Tuesday Septemb: 3rd here happened a most terrible Storm of Wind and Hurricane with continual Rains; wch has done great Damage to the Country. Thousands of Trees have been torn up by the roots, many houses blown down and more damnified: much rice and corn &c spoiled; but the greatest of all the mischief fell amongst the shipping of wch about a dozen sail (of all sorts) were riding at Anchor before the town, some were driven on shoar & broke all in pieces, some were carryed a great way up into the Marshes & One (a Brigantine of about 80 tons) driven clear over the Point of Land wch parts the Two Rivers into Ashley River, in her way breaking down a pair of gallows (on wch 8 pirates at once were hanged since my-coming here) some were turned bottom up and lost. Bell lost all his Masts & was turned bottom upwards, but they have got her to rights again, and I believe she will be the next Ship for England. Capt Man was riding at Anchor near the Bar, ready to sail, but he was forced to cut his Main and Mizen-Masts & much ado to save his ship: so he will make a miserable voyage; but is now almost ready to sail again, but the greatest and most deplorable Loss of all was that of a great ship called the Rising Sun, which having lost all her masts in a Hurricane in the Gulf of Florida was riding at Anchor without our bar, with Design to come in here and refit; but being a ship of 800 Tons and 60 guns she durst not venture without lightening to which Purpose One Sloop has already been onboard her, but waiting for another, the storm rise and she foundered at Anchor the Capt. (Gibson) & all souls on board (being about 100) miserably perishing’.

Palmetto Primary shares eyewitness accounts, travel narratives, and firsthand documents from South Carolina history, the Palmetto State, in the words of those who lived it.

Edward Hyrne letter is in collection of the SCHS Archives.
Image- Ships in Distress in a Raging Storm c. 1690.

06/08/2026

A partial replica of the famed palmetto log fort used during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island is currently under construction atop Battery Capron. (Full story below.)

06/06/2026

06/05/2026

What could you buy in the Charleston Market in in 1807? The following passage come John Lambert, author and painter, who wrote three volumes on his travels in Canada and the United States.

"Charleston contains a handsome and commodious
market-place, extending from Meeting Street
to the water-side, which is as well supplied
with provisions as the country will permit. Compared
however, with the markets of the northern towns,
the supply is very inferior both in quality and quantity.

The beef, mutton, veal, and pork, of South Carolina
are seldom met with in perfection; and the hot weather
renders it impossible to keep the meat many hours after
it is killed. Large supplies of corned beef and pork
are brought from the northern states.

Though the rivers abound with a great variety of fish,
yet very few are brought to market. Oysters, however,
are abundant, and are cried about the streets
by the negroes. They are generally shelled, put
into small pails, which the negroes carry on their
heads and sold by the measure, the price is about
8d. per quart.

Vegetables have been cultivated of late years with
great success, and there is a tolerable supply in the
market. The long potatoe is a great favourite with
the Carolinians. There are two kinds, which differ
in nothing but the colour. When boiled, they eat
sweet, and. mealy, resembling very much a boiled
chesnut. Apples,pears, and other fruit are very
scarce,being only brought-occasionally from the
northern states.

In summer Charleston is tolerably-well supplied
with the fruits peculiar to southern climates and
large quantities of pine apples &,c. are brought
the West Indies. Wild ducks, geese, turkeys, and
other fowl, are brought to market by the country
people,not in very great abundance."

Section of map from "A new map of South Carolina with its canals, roads & distances from place to place along the stage & steam boat routes" C. 1833-1836.

06/03/2026

1919 photograph captioned "CAMP WADSWORTH, SPARTANSBURG, South Carolina. Interior of Telephone Office, showing switchboard".

06/03/2026

C. 1892 engraving from King's Hand-book of the United States captioned "Charleston: West Point Rice Mill". The West Point Rice Mill is the sole survivor of the three antebellum commercial rice mills that once stood on the Charleston peninsula. Built during the Civil War, 1861-1863, to replace an earlier mill destroyed by fire, the mill was completed even as Union forces blockaded and bombarded Charleston. After the Civil War, it resumed operations, processing Carolina Gold Rice until the industry's collapse forced its closure in 1920. The City of Charleston acquired the property in 1926. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.