Charleston Then and Now

Following her success with Lost Charleston, local author and city tour guide Leigh Jones Handal brings a fresh approach to one of the key titles in Pavilion Books' trademark series.

Charleston, South Carolina is one of the most popular East Coast tourist destinations. The flashpoint of the Civil War, what remains of Fort Sumter in Charleston is still a much-visited attraction, and despite bombardment by the Federal Navy, earthquakes and many hurricanes, the South Carolina city has retained its 19th-century charm.

City guide Leigh Jones Handal tells the story of the Charleston she loves through archive photos matched with their modern viewpoint, including the Jenkins Orphanage whose band were the likely originators of the Charleston dance. There are vintage photos of the great plantation houses, plus the grand buildings on Meeting Street, and the soaring spires of Charleston's many churches.

Downtown many of the classic mansions, such as the Miles Brewton House, have been retained, along with the Market Hall and the Customs House, and though the trolleys no longer run along Broad Street, it is still recognizable from a century before.

Leigh Jones Handal has uncovered a treasury of vintages images which have been matched with modern photos to show new aspects of this enduringly fascinating city.

A native of Cheraw, SC, Leigh Jones Handal first fell in love with Charleston on a Brownie Scout field trip. A graduate of the College of Charleston with an MA degree from USC, Leigh has been a licensed city tour guide for more than 20 years and owns her own tour company, Charleston Raconteurs. As Director of Public Programs at Historic Charleston Foundation (1998-2010), Leigh was invited by the Mayor's office to serve as co-editor of the city's official history and tour guide training manual in 2009. She created and is featured in WCIV-TV's "I Love the Lowcountry" segments on the Lowcountry Live show. Leigh has three decades of experience as a fundraising and public relations professional within Charleston's nonprofit community.