The Arduous Southern Tour and Charleston's Splendor — Nathaniel Philbrick — In 1791, Washington undertook a grueling three-month, 2,000-mile tour of the American South over "impassable" roads designed to unite the fragmented southern states with the federal government. This journey into "terra incognita" required construction of a custom carriage and immense logistical coordination involving supplies, security, and official ceremonies. In Charleston, Washingtonwas welcomed with extraordinary luxury built entirely upon the institution of slavery and enslaved labor. Philbrickinterweaves his personal research methodology, describing the role of librarians in historical investigation, and recounts climbing the spire of St. Michael's Church. Standing 186 feet in the air where Washington historically stood created a "historical vortex," dramatically bridging the temporal gap between the eighteenth century and contemporary historical consciousness.
1755