Much of downtown Charleston, (I live several blocks from this corner,) looks nearly identical to the way it did 100 years ago. Some streets indeed are lodestone (aka melons) or cobblestone still. The reason for this is due primarily to the existence of the first board of architectural review in the nation, with the first historic district (1931). To this day, to change out a shutter or do a thing to the visible part of your house, you need to get city approval. I still have single paned wavy glass windows with an R-value of a pasta strainer and am not legally allowed to change them. The price of living in the past!!

And to those commenters who miss the decaying grandeur -- just trust me, most of these beautiful houses and all those surrounding them have plenty of rottenness about them. We just cover stuff up better with paint these days.

They were called "Merry Widows."

No, tterrace, you are not alone! Looking at the modern views, I sensed something odd about them and you helped me put my figurative finger right on it: the "new" Tradd Street is far too neat, too clean, dare I say - too sterile! Thank you to all for the then-and-now comparisons.

Heart-warmingly intact, isn't it? But am I the only one who thinks that weathered and decrepit plank fences like the ones in the original have a certain charm? Glad to see a few weeds sprouting though; one of the things that can bring a sense of realness to the sterility that often accompanies gentrification. Kind of surprising they haven't re-cobbled the street.

[I had the pleasure of driving along one of Charleston's cobblestone streets not long ago. Stones the size of small melons. Vvvverrry bbbbumpy. - Dave]

to the people of Charleston for the remarkable preservation and restoration of this area. Looks so much better than 100 years ago. Most cities would have torn these buildings down years ago. Thanks to timeandagainphoto for the perfect contemporary duplication of this scene.

Below is the same view from June of 2010.

The camera was set up in front of 64 Tradd Street (the single house at L with woman on front step), which is one house east of Meeting Street. View is to the east, and it looks like most of these houses still exist. The brick-front single house (2nd on left, 59 Tradd Street) is still the same, though the door leading to the street has been replaced with a window. On Google Maps street view you can see the newer brick and mortar where that work was done.

Oh, and there are many more Mercedes and BMWs parked on this street today than in 1910. It's pricey real estate.

The view today is much the same.

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I can feel the dampness in the air and smell the horse dung on the street! Do those distinctive hats have a particular name?

Ghost goat! Walk briskly for your lives!