250 years of history 📖

The Charleston Museum is celebrating its 250th anniversary. | Photo via The Charleston Museum

Charleston is home to many firsts, including “America’s First Museum.”

Established in 1773, The Charleston Museum will be commemorating its 250th anniversary this week, with today being its official anniversary date. We thought we’d celebrate by throwing it back to how it all began.

Paving the way

The Charleston Library Society was founded on December 28, 1748, when a group of 19 men came together to collect books and other publications from Great Britain.

The society’s mission worked to promote discussion on its abundant collection of books, historic manuscripts, archival material, and programs for members, the Lowcountry community, and scholars. Subjects included ethics, government and politics, and science and literature.

The Charleston Library Society then founded America’s first museum, now known as The Charleston Museum, on January 12, 1773, to examine the “natural history” of South Carolina.

CHS_oldmuseum_JAN2023 — Here’s a glimpse of the old Charleston Museum.

Location, location, location

The museum and its collections were said to lack permanency and moved to various locations within the city, including Chalmers, Broad, and Church streets, and the grounds of the Medical College, now recognized as MUSC.

In 1852, the collection was acquired by the College of Charleston and the museum was opened on the third floor of CofC’s Randolph Hall. Francis Holmes became its new curator. That same year, Harvard scientist Louis Agassiz claimed the museum’s collections to be among the finest in America.

The museum began identifying as The Charleston Museum in 1915 when the South Carolina Secretary of State issued a charter for its incorporation.

CHS_charlestonmuseumskeleton_JAN2023 — You can’t miss the North Atlantic right whale skeleton in the museum’s lobby.

Establishing roots

After years of transition, the museum finally found a permanent home for its research facilities, collections, and archives at 360 Meeting St. in 1980. This location has served as its home for the past 43 years.

Tap the button below to learn more about influential leaders in the museum’s history and upcoming festivities.

CONTINUE THE STORY

EVENTS

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Thursday, Jan. 12

Black Ink Looks Ahead with Afrofuturism | Thursday, Jan. 12-Saturday, Jan. 14 | Times vary | Locations vary | Free | Register to join this free festival featuring programs, panels, and workshops with New York Times best-selling author Namina Forna as the keynote speaker — this year’s theme is “Black to the Future.”
Brewery Bingo Night | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 5-8 p.m. | Snafu Brewing Company, 3280 Industry Dr., North Charleston | Free | Pair your craft beer with tacos, wings, and sliders from Kees Kitchen, and try your hand at bingo with prizes.

Friday, Jan. 13

Nature Rx: Forest Bathing Fridays | Friday, Jan. 13 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy., Ravenel | $9 | Join a naturalist for some ecotherapy in a county park and connect with nature through the five senses.

Saturday, Jan. 14

Introductory to Stained Glass - Copper Foil Method | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 11 a.m. | Redux Contemporary Art Center, 1056 King St., Charleston | $205+ | Create your own stained glass panel from start to finish while learning the basic knowledge of tools and how to cut and break glass, foil, and solder for assembly.
First Oyster Roast of 2023 | Saturday, Jan. 14 | 12 p.m. | Islander 71, 80 41st Ave., Isle of Palms | Free | Get ready for a shuckin’ good time at Islander 71’s first oyster roast of the new year with $30 all-you-can-eat buckets and the restaurant’s full menu.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

The Mills House Curio Collection by Hilton

WELLNESS

This 30-day communal wellness challenge is worth trying

CHS-Synchronicity do hard things-Jan 2023.jpg

What makes doing hard things easier? Doing it with a group. | Photo provided by Synchronicity

20 challenges. 30 days. The support of your community.

Start 2023 off right with the Synchronicity Do Hard Things Challenge — a community-based health + wellness program designed to challenge the mind and to foster greater mental, physical, emotional, and social resilience and growth. Kicking off Tuesday, Jan. 17, the group will spend 30 days working toward:

Improved mental and emotional well-being
A better sense of connection and purpose
Positive health and nutrition practices
Optimized movement and rest practices

New this year, registrants can participate in one of two levels:

Level 1: First-time challenge or wellness-journey participants
Level 2:  Previous challenge participants or those already in a wellness program who want to push their limits in 2023

The program will end with a celebratory cookout on Thursday, Feb. 16.

Bonus: Participants who earn 15+ points will be entered to win a raffle prize, including a one-month unlimited membership at Synchronicity, two tickets to the Credit One Charleston Open, and more.*

JOIN THE CHALLENGE

NEWS NOTES

Weather

71º | Partly cloudy | 4% chance of rain
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) reaches its closest point to the sun today, Jan. 12. For your best odds of catching this once-in-600-lifetimes spectacle, watch northwestern dark skies during the Saturday, Jan. 21 new moon, or on the night of Wednesday, Feb. 1, when it’s closest to Earth. (Space.com)

Sunrise + sunset

Rise: 7:21 a.m.
Set: 5:35 p.m.

Tide

Low: 4:59 a.m. + 5:26 p.m.
High: 11:01 a.m. + 11:30 p.m.

Coming Soon

Upcoming downtown eatery Southbound has set a tentative opening date of Tuesday, Jan. 24 for its 2,000-sqft space at 72 Cannon St. The business comes from the same team that introduced local restaurants Community Table and Kiki & Rye. Expect menu items like seasonal fish, steaks, and vegetarian options. Here’s a preview. 🍽️ (The Post and Courier)

Number

$50 million. That’s how much Mount Pleasant Town Council has approved to borrow for a park and recreation initiative, including a new park complex, facility improvements, and trail expansions. The town is expected to issue bonds on Friday, Jan. 27. (The Post and Courier)
$1.15 billion+. That’s how much of an impact the South Carolina Research Authority had on SC’s economy in 2022 — supporting 5,608 SC-based jobs. Local startups that were awarded a portion of the $4.75 million total in SCRA grants and investments include CHStoday’s parent company, 6AM City. 💰

Civic

City of Charleston officials have submitted letters to the SC Dept. of Transportation requesting a crosswalk at the intersection of East Bay and South streets. This joins a request for the state to review four other intersections on the peninsula. We’ll keep you posted. (WCSC)
At Tuesday night’s Charleston City Council meeting, Mayor Tecklenburg’s recommendation of a new mayor pro tempore was approved. District Three Councilman Jason Sakran will serve as the city’s new mayor pro tempore, said to “act as mayor, during the sickness or temporary absence of the mayor” and represent the mayor at public events when they are not in attendance.

Festival

Mark your calendars: North Charleston’s Firefly Distillery is hosting its first-ever two-day Food Truck Festival on February 4 and 5. This free event is set to feature bites from &Lobster, Roti Rolls, and Bangin Vegan Eats.

Closed

Heads up, Holy City: Cabana Burgers & Shakes in Mount Pleasant is closed until further notice. The restaurant, which opened in the former Eggs Up Grill off Highway 17, shared this update on its website. You can still get your fix at the Johns Island location. (The Post and Courier)

Open

Huey Magoo’s hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 10 for its 2,800-sqft North Charleston restaurant across from Tanger Outlets. Dig into chicken tenders, sandwiches, and wraps at 4954 Centre Pointe Dr. 🥪 (The Post and Courier)

Job

Charleston County is set to hold open interviews for various positions including Trades Technician II and Trades Technician Supervisor on Friday, Jan. 20. Head to the Lonnie Hamilton Public Services Building at 4045 Bridge View Dr. in North Charleston from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or apply here. ✍️ (WCBD)
Are you looking for a summer job where you can enjoy sunshine + great pay while making a difference in our community? The Charleston County Parks team is hiring. Learn more + apply.*

Read

Good news, bookworms: Local New York Times bestselling author Stacy Willingham has released her second novel, “All the Dangerous Things.” Secure your spot and head to The Village Bookseller off Coleman Boulevard on Wednesday, Jan. 25 to meet the author — your ticket includes a copy of the book and a drink. 📚

Health

Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you… reboot? This wonder-legume has too many nutritional benefits to list here — so make adding beans to soups, salads, or Tex-Mex meals an easy resolution to follow. 🌯 *

Wellness

Oh hey, January. The key to keeping your spirits up and avoiding seasonal affective disorder this time of year? Sunlight. Magic up more sunshine indoors with a light therapy lamp. This glare-free mood light is height and angle adjustable, while this subtly designed lamp lets you adjust light warmth and brightness. ☀️*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

DEVELOPMENT

City

POV: Strolling along the Angel Oak Preserve boardwalk. | Provided by Lowcountry Land Trust

Lowcountry Land Trust recently shared the near-final designs of the future Angel Oak Preserve — here’s an overview of the project.

What does the design feature?

Ready for community review and feedback, the 44-acre design includes miles of boardwalk and trail space, a Welcome Center Pavilion, a nature play area, and educational information on Angel Oak and the native people that have held it sacred.

What’s the timeline?

Construction could begin within 18-24 months. The project is currently in the second phase of public outreach.

How much will this cost?

The project’s total cost is currently an estimated $6 million.

How can I get involved?

Lowcountry Land Trust has a series of upcoming community outreach events, including:

Friday, Jan. 13 | Angel Oak Park, 688 Angel Oak Rd. | 2-4 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14 | KJs Market, 3575 Maybank Hwy., Johns Island | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The community is also encouraged to take a look at the renderings and share your feedback in the survey below.

Find more FAQs here.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Alexandra.

Editor’s pick: Good news y’all, Charleston Restaurant Week officially begins today. If you needed an excuse to enjoy a meal out on the town any time between now and next Sunday, Jan. 22, this is it.

I won’t give too much away, but local spots like Grace & Grit, Church and Union, and Basil are offering pretty unbeatable deals. Check out the full list of participants here. 🍽️

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn how you can connect with the city via text, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Alexandra Garian, Tatum Jacaruso, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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