Charles Towne Landing is a wonderful state historical site located near Charleston, South Carolina. Comprising some 664 beautiful acres, the park is located on a marshy point next to the Ashley River. This spot is known as the “birthplace of the Carolina colony”; English settlers arrived here in 1670 and established the first permanent English settlement in the Carolinas. The park was originally opened in 1970 in celebration of South Carolina’s tricentennial.
The park has a number of enjoyable outdoor amenities visitors can take advantage of year round. This includes 6 miles of hiking trails, the “Animal Forest” (the only zoo in the Charleston area), six replica cannons (which are fired the first Saturday of each month), 80 acres of park gardens, ongoing archeological excavations, an African-American cemetery, and so much more. Bicycles are available at the park to rent should you need or want some help getting around to everything.
Perhaps the signature feature of the site is the seventeenth-century replica cargo vessel named the Adventure, which visitors can board and explore. The ship was designed in 1969 by renowned twentieth-century naval architect and historian William Avery Baker. The first ship Adventure was on display at the park from 1970 to 2004. The second and current Adventure was built and sailed to Charles Towne Landing in 2008.
Other notable features of the park include the wooden statue, “Landing Brave,” created in 1977 by Hungarian-born sculptor Peter Wolf Toth, and the live Oak Alley leading up to the historic Legare-Waring House. Also, live demonstrations are ongoing at various times of the year.
This is a perfect spot for history buffs to get their nature fix and for nature buffs to get their history fix. Bring the family and a good pair of hiking shoes and come explore all that Charles Towne Landing has to offer.
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