Tag: Charleston harbor

Wikipedia says: The Charleston Harbor is an inlet (8 sq mi/20.7 km²) of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley and Cooper rivers. Morris and Sullivan’s Islands shelter the entrance. Charleston Harbor forms part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Like most river mouths in the Southeast of the United States, the inlet is part of a drowned coastline, defined by a rise in sea level in recent geologic time.The harbor is home to Fort Sumter, site of the first shots of the American Civil War. Charleston Harbor was also the site of the first successful submarine attack in history on February 17, 1864, when the H.L. Hunley made a daring night attack on the USS Housatonic, during the American Civil War.

The 12-foot natural depth of the harbor was a major reason for the establishment and growth of Charleston. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1852 authorized the federal government to dredge the channels of the harbor to a depth of 17 feet. This deepening work was interrupted by the Civil War and was not completed until after the war’s end.