A Living Museum, Cherished and Preserved

I stayed too long in the Battery and stopped someone to ask where I could find a grocery for dinner. By that time it was dark and I hadn't made provisions for dropping anchor. I wasn't too concerned however, and I needn't have been. It's a funny thing I've learned about (most) people. If you expect the best from them, they often deliver. I selected sushi from one of the largest and best stocked Harris Teeter's I've been in. I was a little worried that Food Lion and Piggly Wiggly would be my choices. When checking out I asked the cashier if she knew where I could park my van for the night. I hastened to acknowledge the signs in the parking lot prohibiting overnights. "Oh, that doesn't mean anything. Ask a manager. They'll give you a pass." I did and she did. Put the pass on my windshield, gave Danny a long walk, caught up on emails and called it a night. The store was open 24 hours and walked by a securityguard . This morning I wanted to go back to the Battery, but first, coffee. In the daylight I saw clearly that this was no average building. I asked an African American bag boy if I was an historic building. "Yes, it is. Built in 1670. Harris Teeter just expanded the back of it. It was the railroad station". "Isn't it great they preserved it?", I commented. Then, almost as an afterthought, he said: "Yes. They brought the slaves into Charleston here". "Maybe they shouldn't have preserved it," I said. "Well", he responded with a bright smile, "It IS historical!" Look for the long, low bldg in the photos. Later I parked and walked around "The Market". I couldn't find any identification of what it was used for. About that time a Charlestonian decided to chat me up. He introduced himself as Mike. I found out that the locals know it not as the "Market", but the"Slave Market". I asked what it was used for. He said, "Not what people think it was used for. Have you ever been to a Farmer's Market?" "Yes, I love Farmer's Markets." "Were they selling farmers there?" "OoooKkkkk, so what DID they sell here?" "The slaves came from the plantations with goods to be sold and then bought what the owner's needed to go home with."