North Charleston, South Carolina
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

North Charleston is a city in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
.City Planning Department (2008-07)
City of North Charleston boundary map
. City of North Charleston. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
As of the 2020 census, North Charleston had a population of 114,852, making it the third-most populous city in the state, and the 248th-most populous city in the United States. North Charleston is a principal city within the Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 849,417 in 2023.


History


1680–1901: Plantations

From the 17th century until the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, plantations cultivated commodity crops, such as rice and indigo. Some of the plantations in what is now North Charleston were: * Archdale Hall Plantation – dating from 1680, Archdale Hall was on the Ashley River. By 1783, it had grown to almost . Its primary crops were
indigo InterGlobe Aviation Limited (d/b/a IndiGo), is an India, Indian airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest List of airlines of India, airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 64.1% domestic market ...
and
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
. The plantation was the longest family-owned plantation in South Carolina. It has since been redeveloped into the Archdale subdivision. (Archdale subdivision is not in corporate city limits of, but is surrounded by North Charleston) * Camp Plantation – dating from 1705, Camp Plantation covered around . * Elms Plantation – dating from 1682, Elms Plantation was founded by Ralph Izard. Its principal crop was rice. It covered nearly , stretching across parts of what are now the cities of Goose Creek and North Charleston. Charleston Southern University is on part of the original plantation lands. * French Botanical Garden – established between 1786 and 1796, this small plantation/garden area of was owned and maintained by the French botanist
André Michaux André Michaux (' → ahn- mee-; sometimes Anglicisation, anglicised as Andrew Michaud; 8 March 174611 October 1802) was a French botanist and explorer. He is most noted for his study of North American flora. In addition Michaux collected specime ...
. It was closed by Michaux's son in 1803. The garden was near what is today the Charleston International Airport, and the parkway connecting Dorchester Road with International Boulevard is named in his honor. * Marshlands, ''Mons Repos'' and Retreat plantations – the Retreat Plantation dates from 1672 and the Marshlands Plantation dates from 1682. ''Mons Repos'' was developed around 1798. The land from all three plantations was acquired by the federal government for development of the Charleston Naval Base and Charleston Naval Shipyard. The Marshlands Plantation's main house has been listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. To preserve the house, it was moved in 1961 to land at Fort Johnson on James Island and is currently used as offices for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. * Oak Grove Plantation – dating from 1680, Oak Grove originally covered along the Cooper River. By 1750, its owners had expanded the plantation to about . * Tranquil Hill Plantation – started in 1683, Tranquil Hill was originally known as White Hall Plantation, a name it kept until 1773. Its principal crop was rice. It encompassed about . In the late 20th century, it was redeveloped as the Whitehall residential subdivision. * Windsor Hill Plantation – established in 1701, Windsor Hill was an inland rice plantation that covered nearly ; parts of the cities of Goose Creek and North Charleston now occupy some of this area. General William Moultrie, victor at the Battle of Sullivan's Island in 1776 and
governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
from 1785 to 1787 and 1792–94, was originally buried here. His remains were exhumed and reburied at
Fort Moultrie Fort Moultrie is a series of fortifications on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, formerly named Fort Sullivan, built of Cabbage Pal ...
on Sullivan's Island in 1977. The Windsor Hill Plantation subdivision was developed on a portion of the eponymous plantation's property. The large plantations were subdivided into smaller farms in the late 19th century as the urban population began moving northward. Due to the large labor forces of enslaved African Americans who worked these properties for over two centuries, the population of Charleston County in 1870 was 73 percent black; they were
freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...
by this time. After the Civil War,
phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...
fertilizer plants were developed, with extensive strip mining between the Ashley River and Broad Path (Meeting Street Road). The main route for transportation of these phosphates eventually became known as Ashley Phosphate Road.


1901–1972: Incorporation

Since the early 20th century, the section of unincorporated Charleston County that later became North Charleston had been designated by Charleston business and community leaders as a place for the development of industry, military and other business sites. The first industry started in this area was the E.P. Burton Lumber Company. In 1901, the Charleston Naval Shipyard was established with agreements between the federal government and local Charleston city leaders. Shortly thereafter, the General Asbestos and Rubber Company (GARCO) built the world's largest
asbestos Asbestos ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, Toxicity, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous Crystal habit, crystals, each fibre (particulate with length su ...
mill under one roof. In 1912, a group of businessmen from Charleston formed a development company that bought the E.P. Burton Lumber Company tract and began to lay out an area for further development. The Park Circle area was one of the first to be designed and developed, allocating sections for industrial, commercial, and residential usage. Park Circle was planned as one of only two English Garden Style communities in the US, and most of the original planning concept remains today. Some of the streets in the area still bear the names of these original developers: Durant, Buist, Mixon, Hyde, and O'Hear. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, substantial development occurred as the military bases and industries expanded, increasing the personnel assigned there. New residents moved to the region to be closer to their work. From World War II through the 1960s, many whites who lived in this region (referred to by Charlestonians as the North Area) were unhappy about the way parts of their community were being developed. They wanted the citizens in the area to have direct control over future development. African Americans were still excluded from the political system due to the state's 1895 disfranchising constitution. Many white Democrats' attempts to create an independent city were defeated via court rulings. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 gave the federal government the means to enforce citizens' constitutional rights, and African Americans in South Carolina gradually reclaimed their franchise. As a means of bringing the government closer to the people, an incorporation
referendum A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
was held on April 27, 1971. On June 12, 1972, after a series of legal battles, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the referendum results. North Charleston became a city and elected John E. Bourne Jr. as its first mayor.


1972–1982: First decade

When North Charleston was incorporated on June 12, 1972, it consisted of several areas, including the Russelldale, Ferndale, Morningside, Liberty Park, Palmetto Heights, Singing Pines, Dewey Hill, Liberty Homes and John C. Calhoun Homes neighborhoods. Within the first week of operation, the city passed a 61-page Code and signed a five-year lease for 308 Montague Avenue for $300.00 per month. Also during June, the city hired a police chief, and treasurer and annexed its first industry, which was Textone Incorporated Plywood,
Westvaco NewPage was a leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America with $3.1 billion in net sales for the year ended December 31, 2012. NewPage was headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, and owned paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland ...
. On June 21, a ribbon was cut on the first city park on Virginia Avenue. At the end of the first month, the city officials reached an agreement for garbage collection and fire protection by the local public service district. The month concluded with the city's first big annexation, south of Bexley Street between Spruill Avenue and the Charleston Naval Shipyard. By December, North Charleston had become the fourth-largest city in the state after annexing the Naval Base, the Air Force Base and the Charleston International Airport.Wise, Warren (March 22, 2008)
N. Charleston assessed by its founding mayor
'' Post and Courier''. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
In February 1973, North Charleston doubled its area through annexation, and in March expanded into Berkeley County. In May 1973, the city launched its new police department, which included 21 officers and six cars. By the end of North Charleston's first year, the population had increased from 22,000 to 53,000, largely through annexation. Through continued growth and the development of 20 churches, a 62-store shopping mall and other large tracts of residential neighborhoods, the city was ranked as the third-largest city in South Carolina on July 3, 1976. On June 12, 1982, North Charleston had a population of 65,000 in a area. In ten years, the city's growth rate was 250 percent. It had made $15 million in capital investments; $1.95 million invested in parks and recreation facilities, and $2.28 million in economic development.


1982–1996

In 1983, North Charleston became the first city in South Carolina to implement a
computer-aided dispatch Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, mainly by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machine ...
system. Baker Hospital opened a new facility on the banks of the Ashley River. Plans were revealed in 1985 for the Centre Pointe retail development. By 1986, North Charleston's population had reached 78,000, spanning . A monument to honor Vietnam veterans was erected and dedicated in front of City Hall, where it stood for over 20 years before being moved to Patriots Point in 2008. The city celebrated its 15th anniversary the next year, marked by such events as the opening of the Northwoods Center shopping complex and the development of a beach in the middle of the city with the opening of Treasure Lake. In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo devastated the area, causing a total of over $2.8 billion in damage to the South Carolina Lowcountry. In 1991, John E. Bourne, Jr., lost his bid for a sixth term as mayor to Bobby Kinard, who became the city's second mayor. Kinard's tenure as mayor was tumultuous and was marked by repeated conflict with the City Council; its members stripped Kinard of his mayoral powers during a council meeting. Kinard resigned in 1994 on the grounds that his relationship with the council was damaged irreparably.Smith, Glenn (June 19, 2010)
Ex-N. Charleston mayor dead
'' Post and Courier''. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
R. Keith Summey was elected the city's third mayor to fill the vacant seat. Kinard returned to his law practice. In 2023, former North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess was elected mayor, the first Black person to serve in the role. In 1993 a squadron of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft was established at Charleston Air Force Base, bringing more residents and jobs. The North Charleston Coliseum opened, and the South Carolina Stingrays of the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
began play later that year.


1996–present: redevelopment

The Charleston Naval Base ranked as the largest employer of civilians in South Carolina into the 1990s. The influence of Lowcountry legislators and the threat of nuclear attack played an important role in keeping North Charleston's bases open in the face of periodic attempts at closure. In the early 1990s, with the resolution of the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
and the fall of the Soviet Union, plus impending defense budget cuts, the Charleston Navy Base was proposed for closure. In 1993, the Charleston Naval Base was given a closure date of April 1, 1996. Given its annual expenditures of approximately 1.4 billion dollars in the region, the base's closing represented a major loss of jobs and a blow to the entire Tri-County economy. Over the years, billions of federal dollars had flowed into the region's economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs were filled by military and civilian personnel, the vast majority civilians. Many military personnel who worked at or passed through the base returned to the city to retire. After the Charleston Naval Base and Charleston Naval Shipyard closed, parts of the base and dry docks were leased to various government and private businesses. Community parks for North Charleston were established on old base grounds, including Riverfront Park. After years of development, community input and revisions, the Noisette Community Master Plan for the old naval base was finalized in a contractual agreement in early 2004. The plan sought to preserve historic architectural styles, neighborhood diversity, and the area's unique social fabric. It is also intended to restore environmental stability and beauty, attract jobs, improve services such as education and health care, reduce dependence on car travel, promote recreation, eliminate the foundations of crime and poverty, and strengthen residents' sense of pride. In 2005, city officials discovered that Noisette had borrowed $3 million against the land on the former base without their knowledge. The next year, Noisette borrowed $23.7 million from Capmark Investing Group, using most of its remaining land on the base as collateral. Noisette failed to make timely repayment to Capmark, and the property went into
foreclosure Foreclosure is a legal process in which a lender attempts to recover the balance of a loan from a borrower who has Default (finance), stopped making payments to the lender by forcing the sale of the asset used as the Collateral (finance), coll ...
. Noisette representatives insisted at the time that they would be able to repay Capmark and make good on their vision for redeveloping the old Navy base.Bartelme, Tony and Doug Perdue (November 22, 2009)
"Noisette: The future of the old Charleston Navy Base and a look at the deal that never happened"
'' Post and Courier''. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
In July 2014, the City of North Charleston and Chicora Garden Holdings, LLC announced the planned redevelopment of the old Naval Hospital property, to be known as the Chicora Life Center. As part of that announcement, Chicora Garden Holdings announced an initial $3 million investment in the project. The City of North Charleston announced that the Chicora Life Center "will feature myriad social, government, non-profit and care facilities—all in one building conveniently located in the heart of Charleston County." On October 7, 2014, ''Palmetto Business Daily'' reported that UC Funds was funding $13.9 million in loans to the Chicora Life Center for completion of the project. That newspaper also reported that Bennett Hofford Construction Company also completed Phase 1 of a new Heating, Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) for the portion of the building leased by the County of Charleston. Discussion between city and state officials regarding the industrial development of the remaining portions of the former base stalled in 2009, primarily due to a dispute over rail access to a proposed intermodal terminal to occupy the central portion of the area. Representatives of the state government sought to have rail access from both the north and south. This notion was contradicted by Mayor Summey, who insisted that the northern rail access be abandoned to avoid heavy rail traffic through the slowly revitalizing Park Circle neighborhood. In October 2009,
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
announced the selection of North Charleston for its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft assembly and delivery prep center. This positioned North Charleston as one of the major aircraft centers of the world, with the potential for thousands of new jobs to provide quality work for residents of the city and the entire Tri-County area.McDermott, John P. and Yvonne Wenger (October 29, 2009)
Boeing Lands Here
'' Post and Courier''. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
In December 2010, a
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
corporation with ties to former state Commerce Secretary Bob Faith bought the largest parcel (approximately at the north end of the former base) of Noisette land. The corporation transferred the deed for that land to the state's Commerce Department's Public Railways Division, which had the impetus to move forward with their proposed railyard with northern and southern access despite Summey's objections. Summey announced his intent to sue the state Commerce Department on the grounds that its plan violated the city's agreement with the State Ports Authority that no rail be run through the north end of the former base. On April 4, 2015, a shooting incident took place, in which Walter L. Scott, who was driving a car with a suspected broken taillight in North Charleston, was fatally shot after being stopped by Officer Michael T. Slager. A video by a bystander was broadcast nationally. Slager was charged with murder. A mistrial was declared on December 5, 2016. The second trial in state court and separate federal charges are still pending.


Geography

North Charleston is near the Atlantic Ocean in the
coastal plain A coastal plain (also coastal plains, coastal lowland, coastal lowlands) is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and an upland area. Formation Coastal plains can f ...
just north of Charleston in South Carolina. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and (4.23%) is water. The city is bordered by Charleston to the south and east, the city of Hanahan to the north and east, the city of Goose Creek to the northeast, the unincorporated suburb of Ladson to the north, and the town of Summerville to the northwest. The Ashley River forms a large part of the southwest border of the city, and the Cooper River forms the southeastern border.


Climate


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 114,852 people, 47,066 households, and 24,660 families residing in the city.


2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 97,471 people, 35,316 households, and 23,271 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 42,219 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 37.90% Non-Hispanic
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 46.69% Non-Hispanic
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.34% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.12%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.23% from other races, 1.90% from two or more races, and 10.89%
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 34,012 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 22.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,719, and the median income for a family was $34,621. Males had a median income of $30,620 versus $28,248 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,361. About 19.9% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.8% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those aged 65 or over.


Economy

With the arrival of Boeing Aircraft, the city is one of only three places in the world for the manufacture and assembly of wide-body long-range commercial aircraft; the other two places are in and around
Everett, Washington Everett (; ) is the county seat and most populous city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the Seattle metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett ...
(
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
);
Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
, France (
Airbus Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...
). North Charleston is the home to the Global Financial Services – Charleston (a section of the U.S. State Department), at the old Naval Station. Global Financial Services – Charleston is responsible overall for more than 200 bank accounts in over 160 countries and 169 different currencies. In 2005, it disbursed over $10 billion and purchased over $3 billion in foreign currency. As part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mail-order prescriptions to veterans using computerization, at strategic locations, North Charleston is also the location of a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP). Major businesses in the area include: *
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
– adjacent to the Charleston International Airport, Boeing has set up an East Coast facility in North Charleston for manufacturing fuselage components, assembling, and flight testing
Boeing 787 The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, wh ...
aircraft, ready for delivery to airlines. *
Cummins Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, electric vehicle components, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipmen ...
Turbo Technologies – Corporate center and manufacturing plant (truck engine parts). Located on Palmetto Commerce Parkway. * DXC Technology – Branch offices – IT/business services company. *
Hess Corporation Hess Corporation (formerly Amerada Hess Corporation) is an American global independent energy company involved in the oil exploration, exploration and production of Petroleum, crude oil and natural gas. It was formed by the merger of Hess Oil and ...
– port facilities for tanker ships, serving the entire Tri-County Metro area Hess gas stations. Located off Virginia Avenue. * InterContinental Hotels Group – Call center of parent company for
Holiday Inn Holiday Inn by IHG is a chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson (1913–2003), who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee. The chain was a division ...
hotels, employing more than 400 people. Located on Ashley Phosphate Road. * iQor – Call center providing outsourced customer service, retention, and revenue recovery services to large and mid-sized companies. Employs 360 workers. Located on Dorchester Road. * Kapstone – Kraft paper mills employing 1,100 workers. Located on the Cooper River. *
Mercedes-Benz Group Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-B ...
– Plant for manufacturing Mercedes Vans, employing 200 people. Located on Palmetto Commerce Parkway. * Robert Bosch GmbH – Manufacturer of automotive drive train components, to include gasoline and diesel fuel injectors and electronic stability control systems. On Dorchester Road (note: Robert Bosch is not in corporate city limits of, but is surrounded by, North Charleston) * Venture Aerobearings – Plant manufactures bearings for jet engines. On Palmetto Commerce Parkway. As of 2016, North Charleston had the highest rate of
eviction Eviction is the removal of a Tenement (law), tenant from leasehold estate, rental property by the landlord. In some jurisdictions it may also involve the removal of persons from premises that were foreclosure, foreclosed by a mortgagee (often ...
filings and judgments of any American city with a population of 100,000 or more (in states where complete data was available). The
National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
Office in Charleston is also located in North Charleston adjacent to the airport, serving Southeastern South Carolina and Southeastern
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
including
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
, but the radar it operates is located in Beaufort County.


Military presence

North Charleston, Goose Creek, and Hanahan are home to branches of the United States Military. During the Cold War, the Naval Base (1902–1996) became the third largest U.S. homeport serving over 80 ships and submarines. The Charleston Naval Shipyard repaired frigates, destroyers, cruisers, sub tenders, and submarines. The Shipyard was also equipped for the refueling of nuclear subs. During this period, the Weapons Station was the Atlantic Fleet's load out base for all nuclear ballistic missile submarines. Two SSBN "Boomer" squadrons and a sub tender were homeported at the Weapons Station, while one SSN attack squadron, Submarine Squadron 4, and a sub tender were homeported at the Naval Base. At the 1996 closure of the Station's Polaris Missile Facility Atlantic (POMFLANT), hundreds of nuclear warheads and their UGM-27 Polaris, UGM-73 Poseidon, and UGM-96 Trident I delivery missiles (
SLBM A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead ...
) were stored and maintained, guarded by a U.S. Marine Corps Security Force Company. In 2010, the Air Force Base () and Naval Weapons Station () merged to form Joint Base Charleston. Today, Joint Base Charleston, encompassing about 24,000 acres in Charleston and Berkeley counties; supports 53 Military Commands and Federal Agencies, providing service to over 79,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, DOD civilians, dependents, and retirees. In supporting Joint Base Charleston, of the former Charleston Naval Base have been transformed into a multiuse Federal complex, with 17 Government and Military tenants, as well as homeport for six RO-RO
Military Sealift Command The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U ...
ships, two Coast Guard National Security Cutters, two NOAA research ships, Coast Guard
Maritime Law Enforcement Academy The Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) is a United States Coast Guard school located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina. It was created from the reloc ...
, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.


Arts and culture

Museums, historical sites, and other attractions include: * The H.L. Hunley Museum is located at the old Naval Base in North Charleston. The Civil War-era submarine, recovered from the ocean floor August 8, 2000, is undergoing restoration and examination. The ''Hunley'' bears the distinction of being the first successful combat submarine in the world. * The Greater Charleston Naval Memorial is located at Riverfront Park on the old Navy Yard. It features sculptures of the different types of ships built and serviced at the Charleston Naval Shipyard, and also features full-size replicas of the Lone Sailor and Homecoming sculptures. * The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center is located between Tanger Outlet Mall and the North Charleston Coliseum. The museum is filled with one-of-a-kind and antique vehicles and fire equipment (some from as early as the mid 18th century) and utilizes multiple interactive displays. From its establishment in August 1999, the Convention Center has attracted millions of guests and visitors to North Charleston and contributed significantly to the local and regional economy. The complex includes exhibition halls, ballrooms and meeting rooms. The Performing Arts Center, the North Charleston Coliseum, and the Charleston Area Convention Center are owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by SMG. Together with the co-located Embassy Suites hotel, they help create an entertainment and cultural complex that serves the City of North Charleston and the entire region: * The North Charleston Coliseum is located near the Charleston International Airport. The coliseum is one of the largest venues in South Carolina, with 13,295 seats. The coliseum also hosts many special events, concerts, and local graduations. The coliseum is home to the South Carolina Stingrays hockey team of the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
. * The North Charleston Performing Arts Center seats up to 2,341 and hosts major Broadway shows as well as national and world-renowned musical and theatrical performers. The Jenkins Orphanage (now Jenkins Institute For Children) left Charleston in 1937 and moved to 3923 Azalea Drive in what is now North Charleston. The institute is known for its contributions to child welfare in the area and the Jenkins Orphanage Band. The Park Circle Film Society is a nonprofit art house theater that holds over 70 screenings of independent and documentary films each year. It holds the annual Lowcountry Indie Shorts Festival, South Carolina's festival dedicated to short film.


Parks and recreation

* Danny Jones Complex * Ingevity-Kapstone Park * Northwoods Park * Park South * Park Circle * Quarterman Park * Ralph M. Hendricks Park * Riverfront Park * Wannamaker County Park * Wescott Park


Sports

The South Carolina Stingrays are the first professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
team established in South Carolina. They have been a member franchise of the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
since their inception in 1993 and have been affiliated with the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
since 2012, following the end of an eight-year affiliation with the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
. The Stingrays play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum.


Government

The city is run by an elected
Mayor–council government A mayor–council government is a system of local government in which a mayor who is directly elected by the voters acts as chief executive, while a separately elected city council constitutes the legislative body. It is one of the two most comm ...
system, with the mayor acting as the chief administrator and the executive officer of the municipality. The mayor also presides over city council meetings and has a vote, the same as the other ten council members. The mayor is elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
and the council members from ten
single-member district A single-member district or constituency is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. In some countries, such as Australia and India ...
s. City government offices moved into a new, more centrally located city hall in 2009.


Mayor

* Current mayor ** Reginald L. “Reggie” Burgess * Previous mayors ** R. Keith Summey (1994–2023) ** Kenneth McClure (1977–2022) – Interim mayor, 1994 ** W. Robert Kinard (1946–2010) – Second mayor, served from 1991 to 1994 ** John E. Bourne Jr. (1927–2018) – First mayor, served from 1972 until 1991


Crime

The following table shows North Charleston's crime rate for calendar year 2020 in six crimes that Morgan Quitno uses for their calculation for "America's most dangerous cities" ranking, in comparison to the national average. The statistics provided are for a crime rate based on the number of crimes committed per 100,000 people. Since 1999, the overall crime rate of North Charleston has begun to decline. The total violent crime index rate for North Charleston for 1999 was 1043.5 crimes committed per 100,000 people, with the United States average at 729.6 per 100,000. North Charleston had a total violent crime index rate of 489.4 per 100,000 for the year of 2012, versus a national average of 296.0 per 100,000. According to the ''Congressional Quarterly Press'' ''2012 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America'', North Charleston ranked as the 126th most dangerous American city larger than 75,000 inhabitants. The entire Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area had a lower overall crime rate ranking at #35. The 2010 ''Congressional Quarterly Press'' list of America's 400 most dangerous cities placed North Charleston at No. 63. The homicide rate alone decreased by 61%, and the lower crime rate removed North Charleston from the company of such cities as
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
and St. Louis, placing it more in line with average, medium-sized Southern cities like Columbia and
Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...
. City officials attributed the drop to the hard work of the North Charleston Police Department and the cooperation of city residents through "community policing" programs.Hicks, Brian (November 26, 2010)
City finally off crime naughty list
'' Post and Courier''. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Bill Nettles made community policing one of his statewide initiatives, starting the program in North Charleston in 2011.


Education

North Charleston is served by the Charleston County School District and Dorchester School District II. Public high schools: * North Charleston High School (CCSD) * R.B. Stall High School (CCSD) * Academic Magnet High School (CCSD) * Military Magnet Academy (CCSD) * Fort Dorchester High School (DD2) Private schools: * Northside Christian School North Charleston is home to Charleston Southern University, Trident Technical College, and ECPI University. Near the airport, in North Charleston, the Lowcountry Graduate Center offers satellite campus access to multiple universities in South Carolina. Clemson,
University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a Public university, public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Car ...
, Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel and the College of Charleston all working together to provide Lowcountry residents with access to graduate degree programs together in one convenient location. Webster University maintains two locations, one at the Charleston AFB and another just off of Leeds Avenue.


Media


Broadcast television

These TV stations have studios in and broadcast from North Charleston: * WAZS-LD (29 Digital, Azteca America, independent), owned by Jabar Communications * WTAT-TV (24, Fox), owned by Cunningham Broadcasting Company * WMMP-TV (36, My Network Television), owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Company


Transportation


Roads

Major highways * (I-526, exit 17) * (I-26, exit 212) * * (I-26, exit 209; I-526, exit 18) * (I-26, exit 205; I-526, exit 18) * (I-26, exit 216) * at Watson Hill * at Watson Hill * , from US 52/US 78 to US 17 Alt. (I-26, exit 215) Major surface roads * Ashley Phosphate Road – from SC 642 to US 52/US 78 (I-26, exit 209) * Aviation Avenue – from S. Aviation Road ( Charleston Air Force Base access) to US 52/US 78 (I-26, exit 211) * International Boulevard – from Charleston International Airport to Montague Avenue (I-526, exit 16) * Ladson Road – from SC 642 to US 78 * Michaux Parkway – from SC 642 to International Boulevard (to Charleston International Airport) * Montague Avenue – from SC 642 to Virginia Avenue through Park Circle (I-26, exit 213; I-526, exit 16) * Rhett Avenue – from Liberty Hall Road ( Goose Creek) to near US 52/US 78 through Park Circle (I-526, exits 19 and 20) * Remount Road – from S. Aviation Road to Virginia Avenue (I-26, exit 211)


Air

Charleston International Airport and the Charleston Air Force Base, both located within the City of North Charleston, provide commercial and military air service for the region. The airport currently serves more than 2.9 million passengers annually. Commercial airlines include Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air,
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
,
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways,
Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co., or simply Southwest, is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States that formerly operated on a low-cost carrier model. It is headquartered in the Love Field, Dallas, Love Field neighborhood ...
, and
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...
.


Ports

The South Carolina State Ports Authority has six intermodal facilities, three of which are located in North Charleston. A new intermodal facility, Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, is being built on the former Charleston Naval Base and Phase 1 opened in April 2021. Each facility handles container, bulk, and break bulk cargo. With more than of warehouse and storage space, the port terminals can accommodate more than 17 vessels at a time. Today the Port of Charleston boasts the deepest water in the southeast region and regularly handles ships too big to transit through the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
. A next-generation harbor deepening project is underway to dredge the Port of Charleston's entrance channel to 54 feet and harbor channel to 52 feet at mean low tide. Port terminals in North Charleston include: *North Charleston Terminal – Used for container cargo, specializes in handling container ships 8,000 TEU and smaller, in North Charleston. *Veterans Terminal – Dedicated bulk, break-bulk, RO-RO, and project cargo facility in North Charleston. *Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal – 280-acre facility opened in April 2021 to be used for container cargo. The new facility can handle ships up to 20,000 TEU and will increase port capacity by 50%. In North Charleston. *Wando Welch Terminal – Used for container vessels of all size, in the town of Mount Pleasant. *Columbus Street Terminal – Used for project cargo, break-bulk and roll-on/roll-off cargo, in Charleston. *Union Pier Terminal – Designed to move break-bulk cargo. Also home of cruise ship operations, in Charleston.


Railroads

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
,
Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...
, the
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...
System and the South Carolina Railroad Commission provide passenger and freight rail service in North Charleston.


Bus

North Charleston is served by a bus system, operated by the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA). Most of the city is served by regional fixed route buses that are also equipped with bike racks as part of the system's Rack & Ride program. The North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center will consolidate a new train station, long haul, and CARTA at one location. Rural parts of North Charleston and the Tri-County metropolitan area are served by a different bus system, operated by Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Rural Transportation Management Association (BCD-RTMA).


City services


Police department

The North Charleston Police Department was formed in 1972 with 19 officers and five support personnel. In 2015, the department had approximately 416 employees.


Fire department

The first fire department founded in the area to become North Charleston was the St. Phillip's and St. Michael's Fire Department in 1935, made up of volunteers. They had one station and one engine. The North Charleston Fire Department, also a volunteer group, was formed in 1937 with one station and one engine. In 1959, the departments merged to become the North Charleston Consolidated Fire Department. NCFD became a paid service in 1962, at which time all volunteers were released. They formed the organization today known as the Charleston County Volunteer Rescue Squad. The two departments were merged in 1996 as the North Charleston Fire Department. It had a total of 10 fire stations, 10 engines, 3 ladder trucks and 2 squads at that time. Currently, the NCFD has 13 stations, with one being a satellite station for the marine unit. The department has 12 engine companies, 2 aerial tower companies, 2 ladder companies, 2 rescue companies, 1 hazmat unit, 2 marine units, and 1 high water rescue unit in service. The department operates on a 24/48 shift schedule. The NCFD runs on average roughly 30,000 calls per year.


Healthcare

The Trident Regional Medical Center is North Charleston's major hospital. Several other hospitals throughout the area serve city residents, including the Medical University of South Carolina, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Bon Secours-St Francis Xavier Hospital and Roper Hospital, in Charleston. The East Cooper Regional Medical Center, in Mount Pleasant, also serves North Charleston residents. The Emergency Medical Services for North Charleston are provided by Charleston County Emergency Medical Services and Dorchester County Emergency Medical Services. The city is served by both Charleston and Dorchester counties EMS and 911 services since the city is part of both counties.


Notable people

* Joseph Ernest Atkins, serial killer; executed by
Lethal injection Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium) for the express purpose of causing death. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but t ...
in 1999 * Rick Brewer, academic administrator * Nehemiah Broughton, NFL player * Al Cannon, former sheriff of Charleston County * Mendel Jackson Davis, former representative for
South Carolina's 1st congressional district South Carolina's 1st congressional district is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina, represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Nancy Mace since January 3, 2021. She succeeded Democratic Party (United States), Demo ...
(1971–1981) * Carlos Dunlap, NFL defensive end * Jarred Fayson, NFL player * Earl Grant, basketball player and coach * Charles Marvin Green Jr. a.k.a. Angry Grandpa, YouTuber * Nikki Greene, WNBA player * Jarriel King, NFL player * Byron Maxwell, NFL player * Ronald Motley, lawyer * S. Eugene Poteat, retired senior CIA executive * L. Mendel Rivers, former representative for
South Carolina's 1st congressional district South Carolina's 1st congressional district is a coastal congressional district in South Carolina, represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Nancy Mace since January 3, 2021. She succeeded Democratic Party (United States), Demo ...
(1941–1970) * Tim Scott, U.S. senator for South Carolina *
Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
, U.S. Coast Guard soldier, murdered during a
traffic stop A traffic stop, colloquially referred to as being pulled over, is a temporary Detention (imprisonment), detention of a driver of a vehicle and its occupants by police to Criminal investigation, investigate a possible crime or minor violation o ...
* Art Shell, NFL player and coach * John Simpson, NFL player * Keith Stubbs, comedian * Corey Washington, NFL player


See also

* List of municipalities in South Carolina * Charleston Naval Shipyard * King BBQ


References


Further reading

*


External links

*
Online – City of North Charleston, South Carolina, interactive zoning and boundary map
* {{Authority control Populated places established in 1972 Cities in South Carolina Cities in Berkeley County, South Carolina Cities in Charleston County, South Carolina Cities in Dorchester County, South Carolina Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville metropolitan area 1972 establishments in South Carolina