A Yankee Visits The South - Historic Vacation in Charleston, SC
Charleston, South Carolina
Although I live in Florida now, I was born and raised in the Midwest. I never considered myself a “northerner” or a “yankee” or anything referencing Civil War history.
Until I spent a weekend in Charleston, South Carolina.
First let me say that Charleston is a beautiful place to visit. I have a soft spot in my heart for old, beautiful architecture and Charleston is teeming with amazing buildings that date back to the earliest days of our country.
And the people of Charlestons are gentile and polite and oozing Southern Hospitality. Even if they do make you eat southern food that you later regret.
But they are also Southerners. And I was reminded of that fact over and over again during my weekend in Charleston.
One of the essential tourist attractions that a visitor to Charleston must experience is a carriage ride through town. My girlfriend and I quickly made our way to a local carriage house and booked a spot on a morning tour. We had no idea exactly where we were going, as tour routes are handed out randomly by the city of Charleston on a first come, first serve basis in an effort to control carriage traffic throughout the city. But everyone had assured us that any route we were taken on would be an exciting learning and visual experience.
I was standing in the small gift shop of the carriage house, awaiting the time for my scheduled tour, when I came face to face with the first sign that I wasn’t in the North anymore.
Standing Alone Against Northern Aggression
The t-shirts in gift shops back home feature John Deere tractors and cows.
I had never even heard the term “northern aggression” until that moment. I would hear it over and over again over the course of my weekend in Charleston.
After a short wait, the carriage tour started and we were guided through historic Charleston. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable and extremely proud of her southern heritage. Her explanation of building materials and preservation efforts were peppered with references to “The War of Northern Aggression” and “yankees” and “Confederate protectors”. If Robert E. Lee had a link to a street corner or hotel, we heard about it.
The Mills House in Charleston - saved by Lee
It was interesting to hear firsthand a different telling of our country’s shared history. I listened to our tour guide explain the economic suffering that Charleston and other southern cities endured after the Civil War. I didn’t once hear about slavery or civil rights.
After our carriage ride, we made our way to Battery Park. The oak trees and expansive lawns were breathtaking.
Battery Park in Charleston, South Carolina
Here again, I was struck by the reverence paid to the Confederacy and its soldiers.
Confederate Monument in Charleston
I came away from my weekend in Charleston with a new perspective on American History. I suppose that’s to be expected as any war, as with any story, will have two sides to be told. What I was most surprised by, however, was the prominent place that the Confederate Army and its values still hold in present day Charleston.
My weekend in Charleston and the stories I heard were at once eye opening, moving, and heartbreaking. It’s an experience I highly recommend to my fellow Yankees.
