Tourist in my town

Mount Pleasant offers numerous historical and recreational activities for families who may have to put a faraway vacation on hold because of rising gasoline prices

With the rising cost of gasoline, and East Cooper sporting some of the highest prices in the area, now is as good a time as any for Mount Pleasant residents to become tourists in their own town.

Most people know about the aircraft carrier Yorktown at Patriots Point, but the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum gives even longtime residents a reason to go back.

That might be why ticket sales have soared recently.

But just a short jaunt away is Shem Creek, complete with the Museum at the Common on Lucas Street. The area shops form a quaint courtyard.

And it's just a short walk to the Shem Creek Maritime Center and Museum on Mill Street. OK, so the museum is closed, but Coastal Expeditions is in the same building.

There, owner Chris Crolley organizes kayak tours that launch from the creek. Those tours can last a half or full day. Crolley said various crews have led tours for 17 years now. They take travelers out to places such as Crab Bank Island, a rookery just off the Mount Pleasant shore and a state heritage preserve. The island is officially closed from March through October, but kayakers might catch a glimpse of nesting birds as they paddle by. Pelicans, terns and oystercatchers fill the uninhabited island.

"Thousands of nesting birds are out there," Crolley said.

During winter months, members of Coastal Expeditions clean the island for the birds' return.

Though Crab Bank is now off-limits, Crolley said, recent tours have brought kayakers across all forms of wildlife, including manatees and dolphins.

After taking a tour or maybe just a glance at Shem Creek from Coastal Expeditions dock, one can then head down Pitt Street until it ends at the Picket Bridge Recreation Area.

The park begins where Pitt Street ends. A narrow road allows vehicle access to a small parking area. It's one way in and one way out, so mind other drivers.

The long narrow walking path at the end of the road provides free views of the marsh, Sullivan's Island and beyond. There are only a few parking spots, but the bridge area is a popular place to walk, fish, crab or just sit.

The break at Pitt Street can be followed by simply rolling down the road and stopping to see the historic sites, but it will take a lot of imagination. Most of the old places are gone, but historical markers are in their place.

The old Patjens Post Office on the edge of a park is still there, but the building that served as the town's first free-standing post office in 1899 is closed. One can climb the steps and peek inside: The smells of age waft out even through the locked door.

Farther down the road is the former Berkeley County Courthouse, now called the G.M. Darby building. Mount Pleasant became that county's seat from 1883-95 through a legislative measure. After that, Mount Pleasant moved back into Charleston County. One can stop in the building originally built in 1884, which now serves as a home for the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department's fine arts programs. On a recent weekday, Harriet Bailem Brown was teaching children to weave sweetgrass baskets.

A good way to end the day might be at the Pitt Street Pharmacy that opened a few doors down from its original location in 1938. Employees still serve beverages from a 1950s soda fountain. It's also a place where customers can find unusual prescriptions such as tetracaine lollipops, a good way to numb the throat, said owner and pharmacist Kim Richardson, who added that they also mix medications for cats and dogs.

Several people come for the milkshakes and grilled cheese sandwiches, the pharmacy's most popular items, Richardson said.

The owner has kept the store in a 1950s decor. "It's a very nostalgic place," he said.

Reach Jessica Johnson at 937-5921 or jjohnson@postandcourier.com.

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