Charleston South Carolina
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Charleston, South Carolina

Administration
Full nameCharleston
Settlement typeCity
MottoAedes Mores Juraque Curat (She Guards Her Buildings, Customs, and Laws)
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Carolina
CountiesCharleston, Berkeley
Government
MayorJoseph P. Riley, Jr.
Geography
Total Area164.1 sq mi (425 km2)
Land Area147.0 sq mi (380.7 km2)
Water Area17.1 sq mi (44.3 km2)
Elevation20 ft (6.1 m)
Demography
Total Population124,593 (est.) (2009)
Density (pop.)384.6/km2 (996.5/sq mi)
Other information
Time zoneEST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)EDT (UTC-4)
Area code843
FIPS code45-13330 
GNIS feature ID1221516

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Charleston is the oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is currently the second largest city in the state. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was created. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location (Oyster Point) from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River (Albemarle Point) in 1680 ; it adopted its present name in 1783. In 1690, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North America, and remained among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes only, Charleston is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area.

Charleston is known as The Holy City due to the prominence of churches on the low-rise cityscape, particularly the numerous steeples which dot the city's skyline, and for the fact that it was one of the few cities in the original thirteen colonies to provide religious tolerance, albeit restricted to non-Catholics. Many Huguenots found their way to Charleston. Charleston was also one of the first colonial cities to allow Jews to practice their faith without restriction. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, founded in 1749, is the fourth oldest Jewish congregation in the continental United States. Brith Sholom Beth Israel is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in the South, founded by Ashkenazi (German and Central European Jews) Jews in the mid-19th century.

The population was estimated to be 124,593 in 2009, making it the second most populous city in South Carolina, closely behind the state capital Columbia. Current trends put Charleston as the fastest-growing municipality in South Carolina. The city is one of two principal cities of a metropolitan statistical area of 659,191, the second largest in the state and the 76th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.

The city of Charleston is located just south of the mid-point of South Carolina's coastline, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers. Charleston Harbor lies between downtown Charleston and the Atlantic Ocean. Charleston's name is derived from Charles Towne, named after King Charles II of England.

America's most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, recognized Charleston 1995 as the "best-mannered" city in the U.S, a claim lent credibility by the fact that it has the first established Livability Court in the country.

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Walker: Haley's history lesson suggests problems ahead - The State Tweet this news
The State--Haley or her staff had done their most superficial homework � by googling “-South Carolina- Boston Tea Party,” for instance � they would have learned from ... - Date : Tue, 18 Jan 2011 06:02:49 GMT+00:00
Mastercare Tree Service Begins Environmental initiatives In Charleston South ... - BigNews.biz (press release) Tweet this news
BigNews.biz (press release)--Mastercare is committed to providing residents of -Charleston- and Mount Pleasant, -South Carolina- with honest and dependable tree services at the lowest ... - Date : Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:30:53 GMT+00:00
A look back at 25 years of progress - Charleston Post Courier Tweet this news
Charleston Post Courier--The Citadel has played football against -South Carolina- State. The minor league baseball -Charleston- RiverDogs have retired Larry Doby's jersey -- a salute to ... - Date : Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:13:43 GMT+00:00
WCIV-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Charleston, SC Mother charged in ... - ABC NEWS 4 Tweet this news
ABC NEWS 4--RIDGEVILLE, -SC- (WCIV) -- Law enforcement officials confirmed at a Thursday afternoon press conference that they have charged a Lowcountry mother in the ... - Date : Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:19:29 GMT+00:00
Dining out? Study predicts why you'll return - Globe and Mail Tweet this news
Globe and Mail---...- Knoxville, and Robert Frash Jr., chair of the retail, hospitality and tourism department at the College of -Charleston-, -South Carolina-, have developed a ... - Date : Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:52:49 GMT+00:00
South by Southwest - Charleston City Paper Tweet this news
Charleston City Paper--A farewell exhibit for -South Carolina- native Tom Ogburn. The works are small digital photographs originally funded by two -South Carolina- Arts Commission ... - Date : Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:04:12 GMT+00:00
Lender's earnings rise 66% - Charleston Post Courier Tweet this news
Charleston Post Courier--The Bank of -South Carolina's- earnings for 2010 jumped 66 percent to $3.11 million from the previous year, namely because it set aside ... - Date : Fri, 14 Jan 2011 05:28:11 GMT+00:00
SC Megachurch Launches Fifth Campus in Charleston - Christian Post Tweet this news
Christian Post--A -South Carolina- megachurch officially launched its fifth campus in -Charleston- on Sunday, aiming to reach the ... - Date : Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:13:22 GMT+00:00
Big day nears in James Is. battle - Charleston Post Courier Tweet this news
Charleston Post Courier--The legal fight over the town of James Island's right to exist heads to the -South Carolina- Supreme Court next month. ... - Date : Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:12:46 GMT+00:00
Business Calendar - Charleston Post Courier Tweet this news
Charleston Post Courier--ESTATE PLANNING: The -Charleston- County Public Library holds a free seminar on estate planning and the probate process in -South Carolina-. ... - Date : Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:02:46 GMT+00:00

Emergency services : EMS and medical centers
Crime Charleston, South Carolina (2007) National Average
Murder 12.8 6.9
Rape 50.3 32.2
Robbery 244.1 195.4
Assault 515.6 340.1
Burglary 676.5 814.5
Automobile Theft 1253.8 391.3


Municipalities and communities of Berkeley County, South Carolina

County seat: Moncks Corner
CitiesCharleston � * Goose Creek � * Hanahan
TownsBonneau * Jamestown * Moncks Corner * St. Stephen * Summerville
CDPLadson
Unincorporated
communities
Cross * Gumville * Huger * Pinopolis
Footnotes�This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Municipalities and communities of Charleston County, South Carolina

County seat: Charleston
CitiesCharleston � * Folly Beach * Goose Creek � * Isle of Palms * North Charleston
TownsAwendaw * Hollywood * James Island * Kiawah Island * Lincolnville � * McClellanville * Meggett * Mount Pleasant * Ravenel * Rockville * Seabrook Island * Sullivan's Island * Summerville
CDPLadson
Footnotes�This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

City of Charleston

MayorJoseph P. Riley, Jr.
DistrictsDowntown * West Ashley * Johns Island * James Island * Daniel Island * Cainhoy Peninsula
Sports TeamsCharleston Battery (USL) * Charleston RiverDogs (SAL) * Carolina Sandsharks (AIFA) * South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) Charleston Outlaws RFC (USA Rugby)
NewspapersThe Post and Courier * Charleston City Paper * The Charleston Regional Business Journal * TheDigitel * The Catholic Miscellany
Television Stations2 WCBD-TV (NBC) * 4 WCIV-TV-ABC * 5 WCSC-TV (CBS) * 7 WITV-TV (PBS) * 18 WLCN-CD (RTN) * 24 WTAT-TV (Fox) * 36 WMMP-TV (MyNetworkTV)
SquaresCourt House Square * Marion Square * Washington Square
TransportCharleston Area Regional Transportation Authority * Charleston International Airport * Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge



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