Post Office on East Bay Street

A wagon is being packed up in front of the Exchange and Post Office near Broad and East Bay Streets. The length of the shadow, contrasted with that in the photograph on the next page, shows that this one was taken a short time before—maybe half an hour. The workers loading the wagons are to the right of J. E. Adger & Company’s storefront. Adger published a 48 page catalogue, Illustrated catalogue of hardware, cutlery, guns, bar iron, plough steel, carron ware, nails, and agricultural implements: imported and for sale by J.E. Adger & Co., 54 East Bay, Charleston, So. Ca. The curbside palmetto is protected by iron fencing from collision by wayward wagons. A young woman leans against it. At the far right, hanging over the storefront, is a sign reading “PALMETTO SHADES.”

This is the caption as printed in 100 Significant Civil War Photographs: Charleston in the War. It has not yet been through this site’s research and fact-checking pass.