One of my favorite places on earth is South Carolina. Even though I’ve explored the area around Charleston for more than two decades, it seems there’s always another hidden gem to be discovered. Today, my mother and I ventured into Old Mt. Pleasant. She remembered an old bridge that she’d visited once, so we meandered around the quaint back streets of this low country town until we found it.

It turns out this particular bridge, which connected Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island, was first constructed before the Revolutionary War, and it was built using planks on barrels. According to an historical marker, the crew of the famous H.L. Hunley used the footbridge to access Breach Inlet where they tested the submarine before it went into battle. A trolley bridge spanned the cove in 1898, which was later replaced by a vehicle bridge. Today, the bridge comes to a premature end before reaching Sullivan’s Island and boasts a scenic overlook accessible only to pedestrians (and their dogs).

While my mother and I enjoyed photographing the marshes, birds and scenery this evening, we also spent some time sitting peacefully on this bench catching up on life. And for that, I would say today’s photo shoot couldn’t have been more perfect.