Walking Tour of Historic Mount Pleasant
The mixed-use area known as the “Old Village” of Mt. Pleasant comprises approximately 300 acres as shown on the 1949 zoning map. It features a great variety of uses, housing types, thoroughfares, and parks and public spaces.
This walking tour covers a distance of approximately 1.5 miles through the oldest neighborhoods of Mount Pleasant. At a leisurely pace, one can walk it in 45 minutes to an hour.
“Pitt Street splays slightly to form an extraordinary funnel-shaped space in the Old Village in Mount Pleasant, faced by housing, lodging, the old post office and the Pitt Street Pharmacy, arguably the social center of the town.”
— Street Design – The Secret to Great Cities and Towns, Victor Dover and John Massengale (2014)
Starting Point
Address: 218 Venning Street
Our tour begins where Pitt, Venning, and Church Street intersect in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village—the social center of the town. Stand on the sidewalk with your back to the door of the old apartment building at 218 Venning Street, looking southeast down Pitt Street. This “extraordinary funnel-shaped space” is framed by the building behind you, the quaint shops and homes on either side of Pitt Street, and the remarkable live oak on your left whose branches canopy over the space. The tree’s name is “George Washington.” It was planted on a long-ago Arbor Day by a class of school children who attended Mount Pleasant Academy, which once occupied this corner site. In fact, the home just behind George, as well as the two adjacent homes, were constructed from recycled material taken from the old school after it was dismantled and moved to another location.
Looking right down Venning two blocks is the Charleston Harbor.
Before beginning your walk, be sure to notice some of the features of your surroundings:
The mix of commercial and residential (and just one block to the left is St. Andrew’s Church)
The mix of housing—small and large, single-family and multi-family
The tree canopies, building facades and narrow streets create the sense of an “outdoor room,” providing for a comfortable public realm
The narrow drive lanes and angled parking create a “give-way” street condition that naturally slows traffic
Begin the Walk
Turn right on Morrison Street.
Notice the urbanism shifts from formal to informal—no curbs, no sidewalks, the give-way condition of the narrow streets. These are the result of organic growth over time built without standards. You’ll notice a variety of ages of homes. On the left, a new home. On the right, an older home.
Take a right on Bennett Street.
Notice the variety in the homes—some have porches, picket fences, hedges, or none. The houses vary in size and setbacks. Here, you’ll also see a marker for the original site of the “Mount Pleasant Home for Destitute Children,” the first orphanage for Black children in South Carolina.
Optional side trip:
Down to the end of Venning Street.
Stand in front of the “O’ Be Joyful” home. From here, you can view Ft. Sumter, downtown Charleston, and the ferry landing that once stood here. Until operations ceased on December 31, 1939, one could take the ferry back and forth from here to Charleston. There was also a streetcar line starting near this location, which ran down Pitt Street over a bridge to Sullivan’s Island, then along Middle Street over Breach Inlet to an amusement park on the Isle of Palms.
Continue on Bennett Street.
Cross to the other side of the street to pick up the sidewalk—another example of variety and organic development.
A few homes of note on Bennett Street:
217 Bennett Street: an example of a Charleston side yard house
234 Bennett Street: known as the Whilden House
Left on Hibben Street.
Homes of note on Hibben Street:
196 Hibben Street: a former church turned into a home
Mt. Pleasant Plantation: one of the oldest homes in the area, which gave way to the name of the town
Another beautiful view of the harbor
Right on Jacob Motte Lane.
You’ll notice a home with a lovely courtyard with pool, firepit, and pool house. It also has an accessory guest house.
Left on Mary Street, then right on Toomer Lane (looks like a driveway).
The elevation drops 20 feet—move slowly so the sudden drop won’t make you dizzy.
Left on Live Oak Drive.
Right on Haddrell Street.
You’ll see a historical marker for Haddrell’s Point.
Optional side trip:
Turn left on Haddrell to the end of the road where you’ll find Tarvin Seafood and the Wreck of the Richard and Charlene restaurant.
Across from the historical marker, you’ll see “The Boatyard,” with its gated, monumental entry. Regrettably, this conveys an attitude of exclusivity rather than welcome, antithetical to the spirit of the rest of the Old Village.
Another optional side trip:
Turn right on Magwood to view the docks on Shem Creek and Geechie Seafood.
Left on Live Oak Drive.
Home of note: 206 Live Oak
Features raised foundation, double porch facing south, solar orientation, clapboard, and period railing height.
Right on Bennett.
Left on Hibben.
Note civic buildings including:
School at 300 Hibben Street
Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church (built in 1853)
Cross Whilden Street (use caution—oncoming traffic from Coleman Boulevard).
Right on Rose Wilder Lane.
Enter Earl’s Court, an infill development we completed that features 25 residential units (including some with accessory units), a small park, retail shops, and the future home of a boutique inn on 1.3 acres.
Left on Whilden.
You’ll notice a variety of building types including:
A 5-unit apartment building at the corner of Whilden and Rivers
The library
Mason Hall
St. Andrew’s Church
Right on Venning back to your starting point.
Congratulations!
You’ve completed a loop through one of the Lowcountry’s most beloved neighborhoods, rich with history, diverse architecture, and waterfront charm.
Dining and Libations
Favorite local options:
Post House Inn and Restaurant
Old Village Wine Shop
Pitt Street Pharmacy
Gala Café & Bakery
Other nearby favorites:
Red Drum
The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene (aka “The Wreck”)
Page’s Okra Grill
Bonus Excursion
For an extra walk, head down Pitt Street 1.2 miles from the tour starting point to the linear park at the old Pitt Street Bridge. It provides a beautiful view of Charleston Harbor.
*Interested in learning more about the early history of Mount Pleasant’s development? Read my overview here.