Show Charleston Holds Claim of Most t Historic City Charleston claims to be Ameri Amer Americas Americas cas ca's most historic city In 1670 those who settled Charleston planned not a frontier post but a great city In July of 1774 1 at the meeting of the Provincial congress in Charles Charles- Charleston ton there was set up the first in in- independent independent independent dependent government in America On nearby Sullivans island at what is now Fort Moultrie the great Brit Brit- British British British ish forces under Sir Peter Parker were defeated in 1776 for the colonists colonists' col col- colonists colonists' colonists colonists' first decisive victory of the Revolution In Charleston harbor nearly a hundred years later was fired the shot that precipitated the great Confederate war From this seaport in 1784 the first shipment of cotton to Europe was wasi made i I here in 1830 the Best 1 Friend first steam locomotive j I train ever to operate in hi America r regularly with passengers and a n d freight made its maiden trip in 1735 1735 the first fire insurance company in America was begun and in 1822 the first fireproof building was erect- erect ed The first submarine ever to fune- fune function function i tion in warfare was Hunley's boat used by the Confederates in 1863 1 Charleston's streets have been trodden by a long procession of ad- ad adventurers adventurers pirates soldiers states states- I I men men men of affairs and prominence I 1 artists historians painters and andI 1 j poets I I |