Charleston Live Cam

Throughout its dramatic history, Charleston, SC has graced the East Coast, luring travelers in search of warm breezes, lush gardens, and Southern charm mixed with vibrant culture and a welcoming community.

Charleston was founded in 1670 as a seaport, prospering by exporting rice, indigo, furs, and cotton. The commercial life along the waterfront attracted settlers from all over, seeking wealth and a life of luxury in this ideal city by the sea. Soon the original British settlers were joined by Irish, French Huguenots, Germans, Dutch, Scotch, and African immigrants, and Charleston gained a very diverse and colorful culture. By the mid-1700s, Charles Town was the fourth largest city in Colonial America and the third largest port, although it outshone all others in its beauty and wealth. Visitors were impressed, claiming that the city had as much opulence and beauty as any in Europe, but with the most polite and genteel people they had ever encountered. The city continued to grow into one of the wealthiest seaports in the country and a favored destination for sophisticated travelers.