King Street
From CharlestonWiki
King Street is what some would call the 'Shopping Mecca' of Downtown Charleston. The shopping section of King Street can be divided into three distinct sections:
- Upper King Street with a lot of textile, clothing and furniture stores (and an increasing number of bars and restaurants)
- Middle King Street with plenty of restaurants, bars (particularly along the College of Charleston section between Calhoun and Wentworth Streets) and upscale shopping (below Wentworth St)
- Lower King Street with a predominance of antique stores
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Transportation
North of Highway 17, King Street becomes U.S. Highway 78. Highways 78 and 52 (Meeting Street) merge to become Rivers Avenue briefly, and then diverge around the Goose Creek area. Highway 78's west terminus is Memphis, TN.
King Street is one way (south -> towards the water) below Calhoun Street.
Christmas
The Charleston Christmas Parade typically follows a route that takes it down King Street between Calhoun and Meeting Street.
In the late 1990's, the segment of King Street in front of the Charleston Place hotel would be cut off from traffic and set up as as a Christmas wonderland scene.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Street
Through the late 90's, a debate built up in Charleston to name a prominent street in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. A popular suggestion was to rename King Street as Martin Luther King, Jr. Street. Then, it could still be referred to as King Street without confusion. City councilman Wendell Gilliard opposed the idea and pushed an opposing suggestion, renaming both Spring Street and Cannon Street as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial District. Gillaird's suggestion succeeded in 1999.
