Located just three and a half miles from downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant has become a short drive from just about anywhere in the tri-country area. The 200-foot-high Grace and Pearman bridges dominate the Cooper River skyline as they guide drivers to and from Mount Pleasant from peninsular Charleston, while the building of two interstate highways have evened out the flow of traffic from other areas within the neighboring counties.
Founded in 1680 by a group of English settlers, Mount Pleasant is situated on a neck of land bounded by Charleston harbor, Shem Creek and the Cove Inlet, and was originally comprised of several hamlets. Many of Mount Pleasant's current families can claim descent from these early pioneers.
From the early 1700s, ferries and barges were the means of transportation between Mount Pleasant and Charles Towne. In 1713, Andrew Hibben obtained a ferry charter, and charged 33 cents for passengers, 21 cents for horned cattle, 75 cents for two-wheeled carriages and a whopping $1.75 for four-wheeled carriages. And when George Washington made his Southern visit in 1791, he was taken to Charleston on a barge, manned by 12 oarsmen, each a captain from one of the ships then in the harbor.
The first of the small settlements to become a village was Greenwich (pronounced Grinnidge), a plot of 100 acres. Developed by Jonathan Scott, an Englishman, the village was formed prior to the Revolutionary War and was laid out in typical English fashion: 50 acres along the waterfront were divided into town lots with streets being named for sovereigns and the prime minister: King, Queen and Pitt. The remaining 50 acres of woodlands were given to the owners of the front beach lots, their "heirs and assigns in perpetuity for the common use in obtaining firewood," according to an article written in 1880 for the News and Courier.
In 1837, Greenwich merged with Mount Pleasant, which had been founded in 1803 by James Hibben. The land was surveyed and divided into 35 large village lots where 10 of Hibben's children lived to maturity. The elder Hibben was a state senator between 1800 and 1815, and in the War of 1812 was a captain of a company of mounted volunteers from this and adjoining parishes. From his ample means, Hibben generously provided uniforms and horses to men not able to supply themselves. The pride of Mount Pleasant, this company was the sole guard for State Treasury archives and large amounts of gold bouillon taken from Charleston when the British fleet threatened the city.
By the mid-1800s, Mount Pleasant was already becoming well known as an ideal summer resort, described in a letter to the editor of the Charleston Daily Courier as follows:
"The steamer takes her time to come over leisurely giving you a chance to cool off, nod so on your arrival you walk slowly and quietly on the long bridge to the hotel or wherever you are going, perfectly independent of railroad trains, which cannot run over you as you walk along, or hurry you out of your sense of propriety."
That serenity was to be interrupted in 1861 with shots fired off Charleston's battery toward Fort Sumter, the beginning of the Civil War. All of Mount Pleasant's men who were able-bodied joined the forces, while many of their families left for towns farther inland to wait out the war and the rigors of reconstruction.
By the late 1800s, the people of Mount Pleasant had bounced back to their industrious businesses of farming and shipping. A writer for the News and Courier declared: "Mount Pleasant cannot be excelled as a resort for the summer or winter tourist as an annual residence." Boasting "all the attractions of the North," the town's list of attractions included boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, and shady, pleasant drives.
Today, despite the growth of this bustling Southern community, it's impossible to overlook the blend of history and progress just about anywhere in Mount Pleasant. A stroll through the Old Village, a National Register district, provides an up-close look at exquisite homes from both the colonial and antebellum periods, as well as its many churches, including the Presbyterian Church (1827), Hibben Methodist Church (1830), and St. Andrews Episcopal Church (1857).
Peninsula Grill has been likened to the cosmopolitan supper clubs of the first half of the 20th century. Haute cuisine and high spirits. Steaks and chops, fish and oysters, champagne and lobster. And proper cocktails, served with style each evening by chef/partner Robert Carter and staff. The atmosphere is sophisticated and clubby, not formal. One of only two Mobil four-star restaurants in the state.
Located in historic Charleston. Fresh local seafood, award winning She Crab Soup, great wine at supermarket prices and fast friendly service. NY Times: "Great Southern cuisine with impeccable service." Travel and Leisure: "One of the more fascinating eating establishments in our trip through the Southeast." Serving Charleston for over 115 years with a fresh oyster bar, fun, casual atmosphere and huge portions.
A great home is nice, but a great neighborhood is extraordinary. Visit any of our award winning communities. Take a walk, talk to those who live there and you’ll understand why people feel at home and why those who visit want to stay. The architecture embraces you. The trees offer shade. And the streets have texture. The result is a sense of wonder and an irresistible urge to park your car and walk.
Located just three and a half miles from downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant has become a short drive from just about anywhere in the tri-country area. The 200-foot-high Grace and Pearman bridges dominate the Cooper River skyline as they guide drivers to and from Mount Pleasant from peninsular Charleston, while the building of two interstate highways have evened out the flow of traffic from other areas within the neighboring counties.
The first of the small settlements to become a village was Greenwich (pronounced Grinnidge), a plot of 100 acres. Developed by Jonathan Scott, an Englishman, the village was formed prior to the Revolutionary War and was laid out in typical English fashion: 50 acres along the waterfront were divided into town lots with streets being named for sovereigns and the prime minister: King, Queen and Pitt. The remaining 50 acres of woodlands were given to the owners of the front beach lots, their "heirs and assigns in perpetuity for the common use in obtaining firewood," according to an article written in 1880 for the News and Courier.
By the mid-1800s, Mount Pleasant was already becoming well known as an ideal summer resort, described in a letter to the editor of the Charleston Daily Courier as follows: 
By the late 1800s, the people of Mount Pleasant had bounced back to their industrious businesses of farming and shipping. A writer for the News and Courier declared: "Mount Pleasant cannot be excelled as a resort for the summer or winter tourist as an annual residence." Boasting "all the attractions of the North," the town's list of attractions included boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, and shady, pleasant drives.
Peninsula Grill has been likened to the cosmopolitan supper clubs of the first half of the 20th century. Haute cuisine and high spirits. Steaks and chops, fish and oysters, champagne and lobster. And proper cocktails, served with style each evening by chef/partner Robert Carter and staff. The atmosphere is sophisticated and clubby, not formal. One of only two Mobil four-star restaurants in the state.
Located in historic Charleston. Fresh local seafood, award winning She Crab Soup, great wine at supermarket prices and fast friendly service. NY Times: "Great Southern cuisine with impeccable service." Travel and Leisure: "One of the more fascinating eating establishments in our trip through the Southeast." Serving Charleston for over 115 years with a fresh oyster bar, fun, casual atmosphere and huge portions.
A great home is nice, but a great neighborhood is extraordinary. Visit any of our award winning communities. Take a walk, talk to those who live there and you’ll understand why people feel at home and why those who visit want to stay. The architecture embraces you. The trees offer shade. And the streets have texture. The result is a sense of wonder and an irresistible urge to park your car and walk.
