Creative works set in Charleston, South Carolina facts for kids

Charleston, South Carolina, is a city that has inspired many books, movies, and TV shows. It's a popular place for filming because of its unique Southern charm and historic look.

Books Set in Charleston

Many exciting stories in books take place in Charleston. Here are some of them:

Classic and Famous Novels

• The novel Porgy (1925) by DuBose Heyward is set here. It was later made into a play.
• Pat Conroy, a writer who went to The Citadel, wrote books like The Lords of Discipline and South of Broad. The Lords of Discipline is about his time as a student at The Citadel.
• Scarlett (1991) is a very popular book. It is the sequel to Gone with the Wind. Its author, Alexandra Ripley, also wrote Charleston and On Leaving Charleston, which were inspired by the city.
• The Carolinian by Rafael Sabatini is another novel set in Charleston.

Modern and Teen Books

• Werewolf Smackdown by Mario Acevedo takes place in Charleston.
• Author Josephine Humphreys, who grew up in Charleston, set her novels Dreams of Sleep, Rich in Love, and The Fireman's Fair in the city. Rich in Love was even filmed there.
• The Virals series by Kathy Reichs, which includes Virals, Seizure, Code, Exposure, and Terminal, is set in Charleston.
• Rick Riordan's popular teen book Mark of Athena, part of the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series, has scenes in Charleston.
• Sue Monk Kidd's 2014 novel The Invention of Wings is partly set in Charleston. It tells the story of Sarah Grimké, who was born in the city.
• The North and South book series by John Jakes also features Charleston in some parts.
• The Trust by Sean Keefer, a legal thriller, is set in and around Charleston.

Movies and TV Shows Filmed in Charleston

Charleston is a favorite spot for filmmakers. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed here, using the city's unique look.

Popular Movies

• The romantic movie The Notebook (2004) was filmed in Charleston. The American Theatre on King Street was used for Allie and Noah's first date scene.
• Dear John (2010) was filmed on Sullivans Island, near Charleston. This movie was very popular when it came out.
• Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger's movie The Patriot (2000) used the College of Charleston's Randolph Hall. It was shown as the place where South Carolinians decided to join the fight against the British.
• The movie Glory (1989) tells the story of the 1863 Second Battle of Fort Wagner on Morris Island, near Charleston.

TV Series Set in Charleston

• In the Netflix series House of Cards, the main character, Frank Underwood, went to a fictional school based on The Citadel in Charleston.
• The TNT show Falling Skies is mostly set in Charleston after a big disaster.
• The Lifetime show Army Wives (2007–2013) is set at a fictional Army base in Charleston. It was filmed in Charleston and North Charleston.
• The Bravo reality show Southern Charm (2014–present) follows a group of friends in Charleston.
• The CBS show Reckless (2014–15) was filmed and set in Charleston.
• The WE Network show South of Hell is also filmed and takes place in Charleston.
• The children's TV series Gullah Gullah Island (1994–98) on Nickelodeon was set in the area.
• The North and South miniseries was partly filmed in Charleston. A wedding scene was held at Stella Maris Catholic Church on Sullivans Island.

Opera in Charleston

• George Gershwin's famous opera Porgy and Bess (1935) is set in Charleston. It was partly written at Folly Beach, which is near Charleston. A movie version of the opera was released in 1959.