Downtown Charleston, S.C. (WCBD) – Described as one of the oldest streets in Charleston, Meeting Street is known for its historical and architectural significance.

When Charleston was a walled city, Meeting Street served as the western boundary. The entrance into the city was located at what is now known as the intersection of Meeting and Broad Street.

Andrew Kuhn, a Historian and Tour Guide at Bulldog Tours of Charleston tells News 2 that Meeting Street was once known by another name. He explains, “St. Philips, the oldest congregation in Charleston originally worshiped in a little church where St. Michael’s church stands today. When they moved to their current location and St. Michael’s continued, that street was called Old Church Street as Church Street became the new Church Street.”

The term “meeting” came into place with the establishment of the Circular Congregational Church.

The church located on present day Meeting Street was originally called the “White Meeting House” and it was made up of Independents, French Huguenots, and Congregationalist from England. Kuhn explains the dissenters had no desire to be an episcopal run colony so they formed a Congregation in 1686 and built what was called a “Meeting House”.

“In their world, the word church refers to the people and the church worships in a meeting house and so Meeting Street then got its name because of that white meeting house that stood where the circular church is today.”

Andrew Kuhn, Historian

Meeting Street expanded more north as they city continued to grow throughout the decades that followed. Today it is one of the oldest streets in Charleston originally laid out in the grand model; essentially, no matter what year you look at, Meeting Street has always been a constant in downtown Charleston.

If you have a street, landmark, or a piece of history you want Temple Ricke to help uncover…Send your suggestions to tricke@wcbd.com​.