Blog > Cobblestone Streets
Stunning Cobblestone Street and Alleys
My hometown Charleston, SC is an amazing place with a fascinating history. One of the many historic sites and features are the few remaining cobblestone streets.
What is it about cobblestone streets and paths that take us to the past as we carefully navigate their uneven but perfectly smooth surfaces ?!
Cobblestones, now a novelty, were once very common and were used largely as ballast on colonial ships to weigh them down when they didn't have enough cargo. As a result, many of the stones ended up on wharves as they were removed upon arrival of cargo ships to make room for the new cargo. Eventually, Charlestonians grew tired of muddy, sandy streets and so the stones ended up being plopped into the soft ground to make the streets more navigable for carriages and horses.
The word cobblestone comes from the blending of cob and stone. The stones are rounded river rocks and were used to pave the streets a very long time ago. It's thought that at one time, Charleston had more than 10 miles of cobblestone streets. Only a handful remain today, and a few, like Philadelphia Alley, are a combination of cobblestone and Belgian block or red brick.
Here are some of the cobblestone streets still in place in the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina:
- Maiden Lane
Philadelpia Alley- Chalmers Street
- Gillon Street
- N.
Adgers Warf - S.
Adgers Warf - Longitude Lane
- Vanderhorst
Warft
Hope you come and visit this beautiful city one day and you might want to stay and own your own place in this little paradise. Check out my website: www.DefinitelyCharleston.com for all homes to buy or lease in the Charleston area and feel free to contact me for addition information or any questions you might have.
Ute-Lisa Appleby, AGENTOWNED REALTY Realtor/Relocation specialist uappleby@gmail.com +++ 843.345.2625
