Explore the classic town of Charleston, South Carolina at the NSA Conference!

By Hannah Ford. 

Unveiling Charleston’s architectural heritage through a craftsman’s perspective.  

In this Roofing Road Trips® podcast episode, Megan Ellsworth visits with John Chan from the National Slate Association. They discussed the historic town of Charleston, South Carolina and how the NSA will incorporate the must-see sights into their conference itinerary.  

Charleston is home to many expert craftspeople in their respective trades. “Charleston's a fabulous city for many, many reasons. It was settled way back in, I want to say around 1670 or so,” John explained. “They've got masonry and all these different trades, historic trades and it's really an interesting place.” 

The city is home to many beautiful houses with opulent histories. “It was actually named after King Charles, and it was called Charles Town at first, and then they shortened it, but it's got so much history. There are gorgeous old mansions scattered throughout, especially down on the Battery, which is right on the southern tip of the city,” said John. “There are all these fabulous mansions that are prerevolutionary. I know we worked on a couple of them that were from the early 1700s.” 

John had the chance to work on some of these homes. The houses have all sorts of details that show the character of the time period. “It's a fabulous city because of all that history. Beautiful old homes with slate roofs, tile roofs, metal roofs and it's got all kinds of other charm too,” John praised. In Charleston, there are many chances to explore the phenomenal homes, wander the main streets and travel through the historic sights.  

The NSA Conference comes at the perfect time in October as the leaves start to change and apples are ripe for picking. To capitalize on the stunning town, the NSA has organized a tour of the city’s best sights for conference attendees. “One group, we'll take you to Charleston Harbor. One group, we'll take you into the Battery, and then one we'll take you to their historic properties, like the Aiken-Rhett House or the Nathaniel Hawthorne House," said John. “So, you can get a really nice flavor of Charleston through Thursday afternoon.” 

Participants can further explore Charleston by spending their Friday at the American College of Building Arts. The college is going to do a talk, and we're going to see some of the trades that they're teaching over there,” John shared. The American College of Building Arts has a rich and vibrant history. Originally founded in 1999, the college began teaching out of   

the iconic Old District Jail made in 1802. A new campus was opened in October 2016 and repurposed out of a stunning and historic red brick barn.  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about exploring the crooked cobblestone streets of Charleston at the NSA Conference.