It’s amazing what we walk by every day. The streets and alleys in the Historic
District hide their history in plain sight.
Before about 1870 bricks were made by hand. Made by enslaved hands, actually.
After harvesting clay from river’s edge, then seasoned over the winter, it would
be hauled to the mixer where it was combined with sand and water. After being
slapped into a mold, the bricks were turned out on the ground to dry.
Enslaved children were charged with turning each brick over and over until they
were completely dry. When a child touched, lifted or pushed the heavy, damp
bricks sometimes they left their fingermarks in those bricks.
That physical evidence of the labor, the existence, of the enslaved brickmakers
remains today.
Historians and archeologists have found hundreds of those fingermarks in
Charleston.
We’ve made them easier for you to find with the What3words app. Find it in your
app store.
The photographs are here. The app will tell you where they are with in about 10
square feet. History becomes tangible.
You can let us know when you find more fingermarks by sending a photo with
the What3words location to
fingerprints@uniquelycharleston.tours.
It’s amazing what we walk by every day. The
streets and alleys in the Historic District hide
their history in plain sight.
Before about 1870 bricks were made by hand.
Made by enslaved hands, actually. After
harvesting clay from river’s edge, then
seasoned over the winter, it would be hauled to
the mixer where it was combined with sand
and water. After being slapped into a mold, the
bricks were turned out on the ground to dry.
Enslaved children were charged with turning
each brick over and over until they were
completely dry. When a child touched, lifted or
pushed the heavy, damp bricks sometimes they
left their fingermarks in those bricks.
That physical evidence of the labor, the
existence, of the enslaved brickmakers remains
today.
Historians and archeologists have found
hundreds of those fingermarks in Charleston.
We’ve made them easier for you to find with
the What3words app. Find it in your app store.
The photographs are here. The app will tell you
where they are with in about 10 square feet.
History becomes tangible.
You can let us know when you find more
fingermarks by sending a photo with the
What3words location to
fingerprints@uniquelycharleston.tours.
UniquelyCharleston.Tours
Call Paul for a true Uniquely Charleston Tour now!
What makes your walking tour
Uniquely Charleston?
It’s on your schedule with your
party only. You’ll hear about
events and people no other
tour is talking about.
The research is Unique to begin
with.
You’ll glimpse the birth of the city
and the nation. Charleston’s
trials and triumphs come alive.
History here is touchable.
Let’s take a walk!
What makes your walking tour
Uniquely Charleston?
It’s on your schedule with your
party only. You’ll hear about
events and people no other
tour is talking about.
The research is Unique to
begin with.
You’ll glimpse the birth of the
city and the nation.
Charleston’s trials and
triumphs come alive.
History here is touchable.
Let’s take a walk!
UniquelyCharleston.Tours
Call Paul for a true Uniquely Charleston Tour now!
Call Paul for a true Uniquely Charleston Tour now!
UniquelyCharleston.Tours
What makes your walking tour
Uniquely Charleston?
It’s on your schedule with your
party only. You’ll hear about
events and people no other
tour is talking about.
The research is Unique to begin
with.
You’ll glimpse the birth of the city
and the nation. Charleston’s
trials and triumphs come alive.
History here is touchable.
Let’s take a walk!
