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42 John St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
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This is a single long room with a reproduction of the first train and tracks built in Charleston in 1830 you can visit for free. There are information placards around the train and on the walls about how it was built and operated. There is coloring. There are photos of the key railroad buildings from the past centuries. There are bathrooms. You could see and read everything in 30 minutes, though my kids spent a little over an hour enjoying it. There is an attendant you can ask questions of. Recommended for a quick stop next to the children's museum!
There's a secret about this particular incarnation of the iconic first American steam locomotive, which doesn't appear in any of the nearby informative placards, and requires you to ask the right question in order to 'unlock' it. Asking the right question, in turn, is predicated on noticing something unusual about the tender car. Go find out! It's pretty interesting. My only regret is that I had no cash on hand in order to make a donation. Maybe I could have done so with a credit card, but it didn't occur to me until later, and I've felt rude about it since.
A fantastic stop for kids or adults. Not a huge area to cover so you could just hop on here. Easily accessible as you leave the visitors center on your walk through downtown. Great info on the history of the railroad industry and the impact this little train had.
If you find yourself in Charleston, take a brief side excursion to this little gem of a tourist spot for an interesting and informative visit. John was a kind, friendly and knowledgeable gentleman. A host who seems to truly enjoy sharing his breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm about this keynote of Charleston's early history, with any curious patron who walks through the door. Highly recommended for all ages.
My 13 yo boys loved this site. It is a 1-room exhibit of the rebuilt train plus information boards to read. The boys loved speaking with John, the docent.