Ashley River Memorial Bridge Live Cam

Charleston is the second largest city in South Carolina with an estimated 1998 population of 100,122. Between 1980 and 1990 Charleston grew 15 percent while the nation as a whole grew 9.8 percent. The City's growth is due to the annexed lands in West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island and the Cainhoy Peninsula.

As in other coastal cities, recreation in Charleston centers around water. Tennis and golf are popular, too and the mild climate makes them year-round sports. The City's numerous parks and scenic, tree-lined streets provide ample space and a beautiful backdrop for walking, jogging and cycling. The annual Cooper River Bridge Run, attracting over 25,000 participants, is one of the most popular roadraces in the Southeast.

The economy of the tri-county area has expanded steadily over the past few years. Manufacturing, the military, the State Ports Authority and tourism were the engines behind that expansion. The military alone employed 19 percent of the area's work force and pumped over $4 billion annually into the local economy. For this reason, there was concern in 1992 when the Navy announced it was shutting down its Charleston base and shipyard. Community leaders rallied together with a renewed effort to fill the void that would be left by the exiting Naval presence. By 1995 a record 1.2 billion dollars of capital investment in this area was figured to bring about 8,000 new jobs.