REUNION 2011
TOUR INFORMATION PAGE

Charleston Tour----------------$40.00
Dinner Cruise----------$ 72.00
Patriots Point and Fort Sumter Tour with Lunch-------$75.00
Boone Hall Plantation and Fort Moultrie------$48.00
 Magnolia Gardens Tour **(Ladies Breakfast)**-----$50.00
Hunley Tour------$40.00
Plus approx $30-$35 for Dinner/Dance

HISTORIC CHARLESTON TOUR

We are offering the following special tour of "America's Best Preserved City," Charleston, South Carolina. Enjoy a privately guided tour as you explore this enchanting and historic city. Favorite sights include: Rainbow Row, cobblestone streets, quaint gardens, hundreds of 18th and 19th century homes, buildings and churches, and the Battery overlooking the Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter. You will tour The Heyward Washington House. The Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772 by Daniel Heyward, father of Thomas Heyward a signer of the Declaration of Independence. It is the only 18thcentury house open in the city with an original kitchen house, carriage house and necessary in the courtyard. The house is furnished with magnificent Charleston-made furniture of the 18th century period. Browse through the Market Square area, well-known for its unique shops, boutiques, restaurants, and pubs.

 

STARLIGHT DINNER CRUISE

Enjoy a starlight dinner cruise aboard the "Spirit of Carolina", a specially designed harbor cruising yacht. You will cruise, Charleston's Historic Harbor, the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, past Fort Moultrie, which played an important part in the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Fort Sumter, where the War Between the States began. Enjoy the breathtaking view from beneath the two great bridges that span the Cooper River. You will also see the huge State Port Terminals and will cruise within the vast of the former US Naval Base. Relax as you enjoy a delicious dinner during this delightful evening cruise. A DJ will be on board for entertainment and dancing.

Dinner Includes:

 

  

 

PATRIOTS POINT TOUR AND FORT SUMTER TOUR

Explore at your own pace, the world's largest Naval and Maritime Museum. Discover the destroyer, "Laffey", the submarine, "Clamagore", and the Coast Guard Cutter, "Ingham". You will also tour the aircraft carrier, "Yorktown", flagship of the Patriot's Point fleet. Commissioned in 1943, she fought in many historic battles during World War II. Navy Style Lunch will be served at The CPO Mess.

Board the Fort Sumter sightseeing boat. On April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter was occupied by Union Troops who refused to vacate the Fort as demanded by the Confederates. All negotiations finally failed and Confederate batteries in the Charleston Harbor commenced a massive bombardment of Fort Sumter, and America's greatest moment of conflict, the "War Between the States" began. The Fort is located at the entrance of Charleston's beautiful Harbor. It is only accessible by boat. The Fort boasts an excellent museum containing priceless exhibits. Historians with the National Park Service conduct interesting and informative tours of the Fort. In addition to a visit of Fort Sumter, you will enjoy a complete tour of the Charleston Harbor, viewing many point of interest.

                                

 

FORT MOULTRIE TOUR & BOONE HALL PLANTATION

Fort Moultrie as we see it today, was completed in 1809 and is the third fort on this site. The original palmetto log fort was started in 1776 and was only half-completed when attacked by a British Fleet on June 28, 1776. Colonel William Moultrie's South Carolinians repelled this assault in one of the first decisive patriot victories of the Revolution. This battle began a tradition of seacoast defense on Sullivan's Island which did not end until 1947.

The National Park service administers Fort Moultrie. The interior of the fort has been restored to reflect the story of American seacoast defense, and a visitor center is located near the fort. There is a 20 minute film and a 30 minute slide show at the visitor center. Arrive at Boone Hall Plantation through the famous three-quarter mile "Avenue of Oaks." Boone Hall was granted to one of South Carolina's first Settlers, Major John Boone, in 1676. Originally a cotton plantation, Boone Hall spread over 17,000 acres. Hand-made brick and tile were also manufactured on the plantation. These same brick have been identified in the mansion, garden walls, slave cabins and many of Charleston's oldest and most historic buildings. This plantation has been used in the filming of "Gone With The Wind", and more recently, "North and South". Enjoy a guided tour of the grounds, followed by a guided tour of the mansion.

 

 

Magnolia Gardens Tour (Ladies Breakfast)

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, beautiful Magnolia Plantation is the 300 year old ancestral home of South Carolina's illustrious Drayton family. Ten generations of the Drayton family have utilized it since the 1670's, as a plantation estate garden. Long famous for the springtime beauty of its 250 varieties of Azaleas and 900 varieties of Camellias, it now offers extensive seasonal bloom every month of the year. Scores of experts have described its 50 acres of lawn and gardens as the worlds' most beautiful.  This Plantation has been featured in several films, most recently, "The Patriot"

Enjoy a guided tour of the gardens and a guided tour through the plantation home, followed a narrated Tram Tour of the perimeter of the gardens.

 

 

 

CONFEDERATE SUBMARINE H.L.HUNLEY  TOUR

 

Tour the Warren Lasche Center where Hunley is being preserved and where the clues to her mysterious past are being discovered.

An Historic Mission
The Date: February 17, 1864.The Location: Just outside Charleston Harbor approximately four miles off Breach Inlet on the moonlit sea. The Conditions: Cold. Bone chilling. Quiet. The Situation: Desperate. Frightening. Strange. The Ship: A lookout aboard the Union Navy’s largest ship was tired, cold –– but restless. Talk of a confederate secret weapon was in and out of his thoughts. Suddenly he spotted something move in the chilly waters. A porpoise? There were certainly a lot of them around. But something about this one didn’t seem right.

The Underwater Secret:
While the cold bit through the lookout’s coat, 8 men poured sweat over hand cranks that powered a pulsating propeller while their captain manned the dive planes - steering man, iron, anxiety and raw courage towards its final destination. The alarm rang out. This was definitely no porpoise. Nor was it debris floating from a war-torn Fort Sumter. This was something bizarre. Shots rang out and bullets ricocheted as other union sailors joined in the frantic firing of revolvers and rifles. The object continued to approach at about three knots. Contact: Just below the waterline - as bullets bounced off its cylindrical body, The H.L. Hunley plunged her long metal spar deep into the stern area, planting a 135 pound torpedo into the Warship Housatonic. The men inside the Hunley lunged forward from the impact, then quickly backed their sub out as the 150-foot attached detonation rope played out. Within seconds, the world rocked and every man, above and below, became enveloped in a concussion of destruction. The explosion caused the USS Housatonic to burn for three minutes before sending the sloop-of-war collapsing to the bottom killing five sailors.

An Explosion That Would Rock History
The Hunley had made history, becoming the first submarine to sink a ship in battle. Her effect still ripples through Charleston waters with mystery and unfounded conclusions. The home fires at Sullivans Island shone bright. And the response of the Hunley’s eerie blue light declared victory across the rippled waters. The Light: For the first time since its long quest of failed attempts and tragedies, a euphoric surge of victory swept through the Hunley crew like wildfire. For the first time, the burning muscles, the heat and the cold, the bleeding knuckles and aching backs ... the retching fear, anticipation and the unknown was churned away in their wake. The Fires: Rebel compatriots watched and waited on the shore of Sullivans Island - stoking their fires - hoping that Hunley would see their beacons, victory or not. Suddenly one of the men cried out. Sure enough a blue light could be seen reflecting off the rippled sea. The men of H.L. Hunley were never seen again.

 

 

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