Since its 1670 founding, Charleston has experienced the devastation of wars, economic hardships and natural disasters. And yet, Charlestonians and their city have prevailed through it all. It is in this current generational surge that the Holy City has experienced meteoric success and taken its place on the world stage. This thematic weave of essays drawn from interviews explores those essential personalities who have lifted Charleston to its new perch as a must-see destination'one that is known as the most welcoming and the most recommended inAmerica. Join engaging local author W. Thomas McQueeney as he relays stories of the 1950s, '60s and '70s through the eyes of those who have witnessed Charleston's evolution to become the charming city it is today.

W. Thomas McQueeney is a child of the pluff mud. He is one of six brothers to graduate from The Citadel, earning his degree in English in 1974. A local businessman and community volunteer, he serves on The Citadel Board of Visitors and The Citadel Foundation Board of Directors. He chaired the Johnson Hagood Stadium revitalization effort, a $44.5 million project that was completed in 2008. A recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, McQueeney is awriter, artist and self-described seeker of sunsets. He is married, has four children and resides in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.