IN BRIEF

In the Bag

When local Mary Norton first launched her Moo Roo handbag line (recently rebranded as Mary Norton), she decorated the purses with flowers. Today, her styles are embellished with everything from ostrich feathers to beads. Check them out at her King Street boutique. www.marynorton.com

CHARLESTON FIRSTS

Local Anne Bonny was America’s first female pirate.

The first fire insurance company in America was founded in Charleston in 1736. It went bankrupt after the great fire of 1740, which destroyed more than 300 buildings.

America’s first recognized woman artist, local Henrietta Johnson, began painting portraits in 1707.

The first prescription drugstore began operation in 1780 in Charleston.

America’s first golf course, Harleston Green, built in 1786, was located in Charleston.

DID YOU KNOW?
READY, AIM, FIRE!

The first shot of the American Civil War didn’t hit anything. It was a 10-inch mortar shell that exploded above Fort Sumter as a signal for Confederate artillery to open fire on the Union-held fort.

WEDDING BELLS
The Charleston Area CVB and its partners are giving away a destination wedding. Wild Dunes Resort will host the ceremony and reception, and local vendors will provide floral arrangements, cake and a wedding planner. A panel will choose finalists, and then their stories will be posted on www.charlestonweddinggiveaway.com. The couple that receives the most votes from site visitors will win the wedding of their dreams.

Must-buy Mementos

Don’t leave Charleston without picking up some of these souvenirs:

SWEETGRASS BASKETS, made by a sewing technique brought to the Low Country by West African slaves
BENNE WAFERS, a petite crispy cookie from colonial times made with benne sesame seeds, which are rumored to bring good luck
SILVER-PLATED RICE SPOONS, reminiscent of those used to serve grain since the 18th century
AMERICAN CLASSIC TEA, grown on the only tea plantation in America (just 23 miles from Charleston)

SMART STUFF
The Charleston area is home to a variety of esteemed research institutions, including the Medical University of South Carolina, Clemson University Restoration Institute, Hollings Marine Laboratory and a United States Department of Agriculture facility.

AND THE WINNER IS…
In 2007, Charleston…

- won the Most Mannerly City Lifetime Achievement Award
- was ranked No. 1 for friendliest people by a CNN and Travel + Leisure poll
- was the only American city in Virtualtourist.com’s “Top 10 Unique Romantic Destinations” category
- was named a “Top US City for Doing Business” by Inc. magazine
- was listed as a “North American City of the Future” by fDi (a Financial Times publication)
- was the No. 6 Best City in the United States and Canada in Travel + Leisure

PARK AND RIDE
The DASH shuttle (www.ridecarta.com) is the easiest way to get around downtown Charleston. Just park your car at the Charleston Visitor Center (375 Meeting St.), go inside and purchase a DASH pass, and be on your way.

BY THE YEARS

1670 - Charleston (then Charles Town) is founded, making it the oldest city in the Carolinas and Georgia.

1776 - A major naval battle takes place when 11 British warships try—unsuccessfully—to take Fort Moultrie.

1780 - Charleston surrenders to the British.

1861 - Confederate troops fire on Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War.

1886 - An earthquake estimated to be 7.5 points on the Richter scale causes $6 million in damages.

1925 - A new dance—called “The Charleston,” of course—is born in local pubs and dance halls.

1940 - Shrimping becomes an important industry in Charleston.

1977 - The first Spoleto Festival USA takes place and garners rave reviews.

2005 - The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge opens, becoming the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.