Neighborhood Spotlight: French Quarter

With a history that dates to colonial times, Charleston’s French Quarter teems with art galleries, historic churches, and architectural gems that make this small district one of the most captivating in the city.

First settled in 1680 as part of the original walled city of Charleston, the French Quarter came into being as a historic district in the modern era. Named for French Huguenot merchants who once lived and worked there, the neighborhood was designated as a national historic district in 1973.

Bounded by Market Street on the north, Meeting Street on the west, and Broad Street on the south, the French Quarter borders the Cooper River and includes Waterfront Park and the sprawling Port of Charleston.

French Quarter Neighborhood Highlights

While East Bay Street serves as the neighborhood’s main road with blocks of restaurants on either side of the street, we have to say that every block of this small district is packed with important sites and landmarks.

The Old Slave Mart Museum at 6 Chalmers Street is the site of what historians believe is the last slave auction facility in South Carolina. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building dates to 1859 and now houses a museum that educates visitors about Charleston’s role in the enslavement of African Americans.

One of the oldest theaters in the United States is located in Charleston’s French Quarter. The Dock Street Theatre opened its first production in 1736 and is known as the first structure in the country built as a dedicated theater space.

Rebuilt and used as a hotel in the 1800s and renovated in the 1930s and again in 2010, the theater is now owned and managed by the City of Charleston. State-of-the-art updates made the Dock Street Theatre one of the leading cultural institutions in the city with more than 120 performances a season.

Several historic churches are located in the French Quarter, including St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, the Circular Church, and the French Huguenot Church.

Learn more about the French Quarter in our neighborhood overview.

Featured Listing: 57 East Bay Street, Charleston

Our featured listing is an architectural jewel. The General Thomas Pinckney House at 57 East Bay Street is located just outside the French Quarter in the South of Broad neighborhood.

Dating to 1783, 57 East Bay is listed in the Architectural Inventory by the City of Charleston as a Category 3: Significant building. With more than 5,000 square feet of living elegant living space, this beautifully appointed and meticulously renovated masonry home on the East Battery hides the most magnificent, very deep lot, set out of public viewing behind the property.

The garden has been transformed into lush garden rooms with expansive grassy areas and a charming dining arbor. With four bedrooms and four and a half baths, this stunning property features amazing interiors with multiple fireplaces and paneled walls. The drawing-room, with a fireplace and a balcony overlooking the Ashley River and the Yacht Club, is pure Charleston.