Classic Carriage Tours - Charleston Tours

Classic Carriage Tours

10 Guignard Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 853-3747

Few cities in North America can boast as much history and elegance as the seaport of Charleston, South Carolina. Originally settled by the British in the year 1670, Charleston has remained for decades "The Cradle of Southern History and Charm."

There are so many things to see and do in Charleston that sometimes visitors can forget to slow down. We take time and care in sharing with you the architectural wonder of our city's finest antebellum mansions or the rustic simplicity embodied in our quaint cobblestone alleys.

We at Classic Carriage Tours welcome you to our historic home and promise you a horse drawn carriage tour experience with an eye on the traditions of the past. Come join us and experience over 300 years of history.

Charleston: A Brief History. . . In 1670, a group of British settlers arrived at the tip end of the Charleston peninsula at what is today known as Battery Park. These settlers wove their ship through the marshes that are so essential to the Lowcountry, stopped at Charles Towne Landing, and began constructing the eccentric and charming city that exists today. The land they settled was truly unique, offering exotic plants, warm weather, and a large variety of marine life. Within just a few years, Charleston, originally called Albemarle Point but renamed to honor England's Charles II, would become one of America's leading and most sought-after cities.

Because of its strategic location among many rivers and near the Atlantic Ocean, both the military and the shipping industry have played important roles in Charleston's history. In the early years of its development, Charleston prospered through the indigo, rice, and slave trades, and in 1861, the first shots of the Civil War were fired just off the peninsula at Fort Sumter bringing immediate recognition to Charleston's militaristic importance.

Though the city's economy declined after the South's incorporation into the Union, the twentieth century brought economic prosperity to Charleston with the building of a naval shipyard during WWI and with the many industries established during WWII. Today, Charleston manufactures many products including paper and cigars, but tourism is what the city thrives on. Charleston is rich in history and architectural elegance. The gardens and houses, markets and sweet-grass basket makers offer a glimpse into the origins of American culture -- a culture that is influenced by both European norms and the many ethnicities of the country's first immigrants.