The roof lines of the Circular Church have a lot of interesting detail, and on this sunny day made an interesting picture.
The current building isn’t circular, but a cloverleaf design erected starting in 1890. It includes some bricks from the previous building that burned in 1861.
There is a glimpse of the Gibbes Museum of Art roof at the far left of the above photo. Here is a look at some of the details.
Charleston, SC
June 3, 2025
Historic Charleston is dotted with homes that have two levels of open air porches, also called piazzas. While most of them run along the side of the house this one is unusual as it faces the front and the public sidewalk passes underneath the second floor porch.
The railings, ceilings and columns have amazing details.
A hammock currently swings in the breeze.
A plaque shares a few of the details on the private home, built around 1751. Wikipedia states that the three stories comprise  6,216 square feet,
Taken from inside the front garden of the First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, across Tradd Street from the home:
59 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
June 3, 2025
Hibernian Hall is a meeting hall and social venue built in 1840. An example of Greek Revival architecture , it is Charleston’s only work by Thomas Ustick Walter. The wrought iron gates were made by Christopher Werner, a German-American master ironworker in Charleston.*
I’m a fan of the symmetry and the wrought iron work.
With a break in the pedestrian traffic I was able to line up the harp in the iron work with the painted one on the building.
The hall is nationally significant for its use during the 1860 Charleston Convention, in which the Democratic Party, divided by opinions on slavery, failed to select a presidential nominee, ensuring victory for the anti-slavery Republican Party in the 1860 presidential election. The building was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and continues to be used as a function and meeting space today. (*Wikipedia)
105 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
June 3, 2025
Following up on my last post about seeing the French Huguenot Church from the parking garage…
The spire of St. Philips Church dominates the view in this direction. You can just make out a sliver of the French Huguenot Church’s decorative top in the lower right corner.
From the other direction, at street level.
The gate from the inside of the fence, looking towards the Dock Street Theater and French Huguenot Church.
St. Philips Church, Charleston, SC
February 27, 2024
I have parked in the upper floors of the Cumberland Street garage many times, but never had noticed how the Gothic details of the French Huguenot Church were visible.
I was more familiar with this view, at street level.
It was a dull day so the pink doesn’t seem as striking as when the sun is fully out, but it is still pink. See my post from just over a year ago, French Huguenot Church, Pink for a comparison.
French Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC
February 27, 2024
For such an amazing architectural beauty, this staircase is in a very small space, making it is difficult to photograph it all. Standing underneath and looking up provides an interesting view.
This view shows a small door to the outdoors, which seems out of place. The light shining out of the underside of the staircase allows a view of the construction.
And it sticks out on the other side of the staircase, just like the window in my post about the second floor view.
This is that little door from the outside. One of the museum volunteers told me this was used to access the root cellar, again a bit of practical over maintaining full symmetry.
I’m 5′ 8″ (1.7 M) and when I stood on the step of this door my hair would have grazed the header if I could have stepped in.
Nathaniel Russell House Museum, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Additional posts of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum
Built in 1808, the design of a Charleston merchant’s home was all about symmetry. And impressing your neighbors, like this three-story, cantilevered, flying staircase was intended to do.
Sometimes, reality didn’t match the rules, and this window is not evenly placed behind the staircase. But it does illustrate that the staircase doesn’t touch the wall for support.
This window seen from the outside, taken from what is now the narrow driveway to the back of the property. My back was at the wall of the First (Scots) Presbyterian Church next door and the trees reflected in the glass are in the graveyard.
Nathaniel Russell House Museum, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Additional posts of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum
Yes, it is pink. And pretty dramatic looking in the Gothic Revival style.
A gap in vehicle and pedestrian traffic, no leaves on the Crepe Myrtles, and a beautiful sky came together on Friday for an unusual photo opportunity of this landmark.
The church sits across Church street from the Dock Street Theater, and as a fan of reflection images I couldn’t pass this up.
French Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023
Continued from Leonards Mills: Shingle Mill, 1 of 2
Once he has the shingle in his hand the mill worker cuts one edge off…
…flips the shingle over…
…cuts the second edge off…
then flips the shingle into a pile.
Meanwhile the next shingle is ready…
Just to the left you can see a building sided with cedar shingles from this demonstration mill.
—
I was fortunate that during my September visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum was having Living History Days.
The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”
http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org
October 1, 2022
Wooden shingles have long been used in New England due to the abundance of wood and its durability. Ingenuity and mechanical innovations led to commercial production equipment like this Shingle Mill on display at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum.
A short length of cedar is fixed into a mechanism that carries the wood to the saw.
The mill worker takes each shingle…
… in a well practiced movement…
…lifts the shingle away from the saw blade.
A wider view:
This mill has an amazing number of moving parts.
I was fortunate that during my September visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum was having Living History Days.
The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”
http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org
October 1, 2022
