West Ashley in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Stained Dirt?!
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
1. Stained Dirt?! Marker
Fearing attack, the people of Charles Towne Landing needed a defensive wall – the taller, the better. So they dug a ditch, piling the dirt along one edge. By constructing a palisade upon that heaped-up foundation, they would have forced attackers to fight from a disadvantaged position.
The settlement relocated, the palisade wall crumbled. Debris collected in the ditch, decomposing to form a dirt darker than the surrounding soil. Almost 300 years later, archaeologists found the long line of distinctive soil and recognized it as proof of the wall’s location. The palisade has now been partially reconstructed beside the stained dirt.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 32° 48.171′ N, 79° 59.111′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is in West Ashley. Marker can be reached from Old Town Plantation Road. Marker is located on the History Trail at Charles Towne Landing. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1500 Old Towne Road, Charleston SC 29407, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ghost Structure (within shouting distance of this marker); A Temporary Home? (within shouting distance of this marker); Seeking Wealth, Sowing Servitude
this page online
More about this marker. A photo on the right side of the marker shows archaeologists excavating near a line of darker soil. It has a caption of “In 1969, archaeologists uncovered a dark streak of soil. In the dig within this building, today’s archaeologists use a grid of red string to track each find. Green string delineates the main feature – dirt formed in the old ditch.”
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
2. Stained Dirt?! Marker
The reconstructed palisade can be seen next to the marker.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
3. Stained Dirt?! Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
4. Marker at Charles Towne Landing
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, Charles To
5. Archaeological Excavations Near Marker
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 6, 2013
6. Palisade Wall Near Archaeological Exhibit
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 501 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 20, 2013, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.
