Tag Archives: South Carolina

St. Philips Church, Charleston

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.

St. Philips Church, Charleston
St. Philips Church, Charleston, Taken from parking garage

From the other direction, at street level.

St. Philips Church, Charleston
St. Philips Church, Charleston, top of the wrought iron gate

The gate from the inside of the fence, looking towards the Dock Street Theater and  French Huguenot Church.

Detail of the Gate
Detail of the Gate

St. Philips Church, Charleston, SC
February 27, 2024

French Huguenot Church, Charleston

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.

French Huguenot Church, Charleston
French Huguenot Church, Charleston

I was more familiar with this view, at street level.

French Huguenot Church, Charleston
French Huguenot Church, Charleston

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
French Huguenot Church, Charleston

French Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC
February 27, 2024

Morning Posies

Around Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, morning of June 16th.

I liked the imperfection at the top of this bloom.

Swamp Sunflower
Swamp Sunflower

A thistle, with such an interesting shape and so many textures.

Thistle
Thistle

I’ve always liked the alien look of the Button bush flowers, but they have taken on a new feel in the post-COVID world after we’ve seen so many magnified viruses.

Button Bush
Button Bush

Many of the older Magnolia trees don’t seem to have bloomed as well this year as I remember. This was a good specimen.

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Magnolia Bloom

I don’t know what this is, but I do like it.

Pretty Pink Something
Pretty Pink Something

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
June 16, 2023

Redwood Tree at Magnolia

I’ve been on this corner at the back of the old rice field when the Nature Train was passing and heard the tour guide point out this Redwood Tree as they pass.

Redwood Tree
Redwood Tree – February 23, 2023, Looking towards the rice field

They either didn’t say, or I’ve never paid enough attention, why this single Redwood happens to be right here.

Redwood Tree
Redwood Tree – March 11, 2023, taken with my back to the rice field

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC

Nathaniel Russell House Staircase, First Floor

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.

Up Through the Staircase
Up Through the Staircase

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.

Cantilevered Staircase, First Floor
Cantilevered Staircase, First Floor, Trap Door to Root Cellar in Floor

And it sticks out on the other side of the staircase, just like the window in my post about the second floor view.

Looking Across a Tread of the Staircase
Looking Across a Tread of the Staircase

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.

Door Under Staircase From Outside
Door Under Staircase From Outside

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

Nathaniel Russell House Staircase, Second Floor

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.

Window Behind the Cantilevered Staircase
Window Behind the Cantilevered Staircase, Second Floor

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.

Window Behind the Cantilevered Staircase
Window Behind the Cantilevered Staircase

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.

Window From Outside
Window From Outside

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

French Huguenot Church, Pink

Yes, it is pink. And pretty dramatic looking in the Gothic Revival style.

French Huguenot Church, Charleston
French Huguenot Church, Charleston, Ted just visible in lower right

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.

French Huguenot Church, Charleston
French Huguenot Church, Charleston

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 Reflected in Dock Street Theater Window
French Huguenot Church Reflected in Dock Street Theater Window

French Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023

Oval Drawing Room, Revisited 2023

The symmetry and bling of the historic Nathaniel Russell House is on full display in the oval drawing room.

Oval Drawing Room Ceiling and Chandelier
Oval Drawing Room Ceiling and Chandelier

I am fascinated by these tri-column mirror panels. Rather like a fun-house mirror, just shifting your position an inch or two changes the scene. Here, triplicates of a music stand with varying amounts of a standing harp next to it.

Oval Drawing Room Rounded Mirrors
Oval Drawing Room Rounded Mirrors

Despite the wealth and import business that would have allowed the Russells to have mahogany doors, the hallway doors are faux. The skill and expense of applying the design to a pine door was valued over real mahogany.

Oval Drawing Room Rounded Mirrors
Oval Drawing Room Rounded Mirrors, Open door that leads to hallway

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