Bob and Theresa: Florida 2012 - Charleston SC (Day 3)

On our last day in Charleston, we visited The

Citadel, CSS Hunley, and Magnolia Plantation. Then, on to Savannah, GA

The Citadel - referred to as the West Point of the South is near downtown Charleston

The Quadrangle forms the center of campus with the parade field being the center piece

These two cadets agreed to allow a photograph

The Corps of Cadets was having inspection - on a Saturday!

These staff quarters are near campus

Just inside the entrance gate is this larger than life replica of a Citadel class ring. Gives a whole new meaning to the term "ring knocker!"

While all services are represented by displayed military items, this Navy submarine periscope was unique!

We moved on to the old Charleston Navy Base where the CSS Hunley is on display. Hunley was the first submarine to attack and sink an enemy ship.

The crew sat on these benches and propelled the vessel by cranking the shaft which turned the propeller. The Captain sat forward and controlled ballast, dive planes, and the rudder

They did not allow photography of Hunley but this laser map is a good representation

This replica is of an earlier submarine in the development chain. Development of Hunley was done in Mobile, Alabama

This gives an idea of how cramped the sub was!

Our final stop before leaving Charleston was the nearby Magnolia Plantation

The tree-lined drive is like something from Gone With the Wind. But the fact is these plantations almost never received visitors by road. The "front" of the plantation faced the Ashley River where almost all visitors arrived

The main crop at most plantations in this area was rice! The swampy areas were ideal for rice growing. Snakes, malaria, and alligators were all hazards with which the slaves had to contend.

The main house was burned by Union Troops (as were most - presumably to prevent a return of oppression of the slaves). This house is a former fishing camp lodge disassembled and floated downriver. Over the years it has had rooms added on

The painting over the fireplace is "headhunter art." An artist would paint headless bodies in the studio then add the heads on the spot to match the children of the plantation owners. In this painting, the head is too big for the body, a common flaw in this style

A sweeping staircase - what else!

This is one of two rooms added on the first floor. A dining room about the same size adjoins.

The real showpiece of Magnolia is the gardens, complete with ponds, bridges, and walks

This field, very near the Ashley River was planted with rice then gradually flooded to support the rice and protect it from insects, etc. When the rice was harvested, huge swarms of Bob-O-Links would swoop in and eat as much as one third of the crop! This breed was known throughout the region as "rice birds!"