Charleston is a city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is the second largest city in the state. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline and is located on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean formed by the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, or, as is locally expressed, "where the Cooper and Ashley Rivers come together to form the Atlantic Ocean." Founded in 1670 as Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England, Charleston adopted its present name in 1783, and is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses, particularly in the elegant French Quarter and Battery districts.
