Date of Award
8-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Historic Preservation (MHP)
Department
Historic Preservation
Committee Chair/Advisor
Jon Marcoux
Committee Member
Katherine Pemberton
Committee Member
Craig Bennett
Committee Member
Martha Zierden
Abstract
The early 18th century historic fortification system that surrounded the urban town of Charleston has been a focus of excavations and historical research within the past two decades. However, while the outline of early Charleston’s walled city is hypothesized through the analysis of historic maps and plats, very few fortification locations have been visually confirmed. In order to determine their accuracy, this thesis georeferenced eleven historic maps and four plats to the modern landscape. As a result, possible locations of Charleston’s walled city were predicted. These were surveyed as test sites and remote sensing methods were employed that helped confirm or deny each hypothesis. After an analysis of georeferencing and ground penetrating radar results, the surveys of portions of the historic fortification system that was once made of earth and entrenchments were unable to identify with confidence any remaining features. However, the location of the brick-made curtain line on East Bay Street near South Adger’s Wharf and near South Market Street was identified, as well as a segment of the northern parapet wall of Craven’s Bastion located today under the United States Custom House.
Recommended Citation
Allen, Alexis, "Bringing Vanished Landscapes to the Surface: A Multi-Tool Approach to Unearthing Charleston's Walled City" (2023). All Theses. 4157.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/4157