I'On Village Walk Canals and Westlake

Westlake and the Canals

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This section of the Village Walk Trail takes you through part of the Ponsbury neighborhood. Ponsbury takes its name from the Latin word for bridge.

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Jefferson Bridge on I'On Village Walk, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA Walk East (80º) up the gravel path to the wooden bridge over the Jefferson Canal. Cross the bridge, pausing to look around the lake if you wish. Both of the bridges on Westlake were designed as part of a national architectural competition. The Jefferson canal bridge incorporates architectural elements used by amateur architect Thomas Jefferson at Monticello and the University of Virginia. All the land around the lake inside the walkways is a park After crossing the bridge, take the stairs down and to the right to the towpath.

Image, Right, Jefferson Bridge and Jefferson Canal, towpath runs down canal on left side.

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Walk Southeast (130º) on the towpath towards Eastlake. The path will take you under the automobile bridge. The towpath was patterned after paths used by horses and mules to pull barges and boats along canals in the 19th. century such as South Carolina’s own Santee Canal. These paths are popular recreational spots today. The houses along the canal were designed to be reminiscent of Venice Italy and Amsterdam.

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Walking path along West side of Eastlake, I'On Village Walk, Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA At Eastlake turn left and go North (10º) along the path that runs by the lake until you reach the Lafayette Canal. The basin of Eastlake was created by excavations to obtain dirt for the construction of the Mark Clark expressway is 25 feet deep. .Turn left again and take the path West 280º) under the first of the two overhead auto bridges. This arrangement allows pedestrians to enjoy a walk without having to cross streets or worry about traffic

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Look across the canal at the first of the three houses. Part of the third floor porch has been enclosed. Enclosing parts of porches is often done as the needs of families change over time in older communities. Doing so here as part of the original construction makes the landscape look older and more settled. Is the porch section enclosed on the left or right side of the house?_____________________?

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Towpath running under Ponsbury Autobridge, I'On Village, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina Continue West along the towpath, under the 2nd. auto bridge and beyond until you reach the wooden footbridge.

This image was taken showing steps 12 - 14, from beneath the first auto bridge mentioned in step 12, past the house that is the subject of the question in 13 (on the right in this image, just out of frame) to and beyond the second auto bridge.

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Lafayette Bridge, I'On Village Walk, Mt. Pleasant, SC Turn left and walk up the gravel path until you can make a U-Turn right back to the pedestrian bridge (The colonnade of the Amphitheater should be ahead and to the left of you as you cross the bridge). Cross the bridge and continue North (10º) on the gravel path until you reach the sidewalk along W. Shipyard Road.

Shipyard road is one of the oldest streets in I’On. It originally extended through I’On and Hobcaw to the Shipyard on Hobcaw Creek where plantation barges and ships were built, including the John Adams, a warship built for the American navy during the revolution. This section of West Shipyard is on the original roadbed.

The area around Westlake is nearly at the center of I’On and has been created as a central focus of the community. The amphitheater provides a dramatic civic focus and can be used for concerts, plays, dance and outdoor movies. It has been named the Mt. Pleasant Amphitheater.

The Amphitheater structure is based on a colonial dovecote. It is designed according to Palladian proportions and serves the function of a scena in a classical Greek amphitheater.

The lakes and canals comprise an open grid system allowing boat travel between both major lakes, echoing the grid system of streets and walkways on land.

CX

Walkers taking the shorter one hour walk can turn right (East) here when they reach Shipyard road and walk to John Galt Lane, picking up the walk at step #43, guide page 25. The shorter walk does not qualify for a patch, however you can return to this point to complete the back half of the walk another time to finish the trail. Go to step 43 for the truncated walk.

Go on to next section of Trail, The Marshwalk, Amphitheater to Hexagon Lookout
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10	Walk East (80º) up the gravel path to the wooden bridge over the Jefferson Canal. Cross the bridge, pausing to look around the lake if you wish. Both of the bridges on Westlake were designed as part of a national architectural competition. The Jefferson canal bridge incorporates architectural elements used by amateur architect Thomas Jefferson at Monticello and the University of Virginia. All the land around the lake inside the walkways is a park After crossing the bridge, take the stairs down and to the right to the towpath. Image, Right, Jefferson Bridge and Jefferson Canal, towpath runs down canal on left side.
11	Walk Southeast (130º) on the towpath towards Eastlake. The path will take you under the automobile bridge. The towpath was patterned after paths used by horses and mules to pull barges and boats along canals in the 19th. century such as South Carolina’s own Santee Canal. These paths are popular recreational spots today. The houses along the canal were designed to be reminiscent of Venice Italy and Amsterdam.
12	At Eastlake turn left and go North (10º) along the path that runs by the lake until you reach the Lafayette Canal. The basin of Eastlake was created by excavations to obtain dirt for the construction of the Mark Clark expressway is 25 feet deep. .Turn left again and take the path West 280º) under the first of the two overhead auto bridges. This arrangement allows pedestrians to enjoy a walk without having to cross streets or worry about traffic
13	Look across the canal at the first of the three houses. Part of the third floor porch has been enclosed. Enclosing parts of porches is often done as the needs of families change over time in older communities. Doing so here as part of the original construction makes the landscape look older and more settled. Is the porch section enclosed on the left or right side of the house?_____________________?
14	Continue West along the towpath, under the 2nd. auto bridge and beyond until you reach the wooden footbridge. This image was taken showing steps 12 - 14, from beneath the first auto bridge mentioned in step 12, past the house that is the subject of the question in 13 (on the right in this image, just out of frame) to and beyond the second auto bridge.
15.	Turn left and walk up the gravel path until you can make a U-Turn right back to the pedestrian bridge (The colonnade of the Amphitheater should be ahead and to the left of you as you cross the bridge). Cross the bridge and continue North (10º) on the gravel path until you reach the sidewalk along W. Shipyard Road. Shipyard road is one of the oldest streets in I’On. It originally extended through I’On and Hobcaw to the Shipyard on Hobcaw Creek where plantation barges and ships were built, including the John Adams, a warship built for the American navy during the revolution. This section of West Shipyard is on the original roadbed. The area around Westlake is nearly at the center of I’On and has been created as a central focus of the community. The amphitheater provides a dramatic civic focus and can be used for concerts, plays, dance and outdoor movies. It has been named the Mt. Pleasant Amphitheater. The Amphitheater structure is based on a colonial dovecote. It is designed according to Palladian proportions and serves the function of a scena in a classical Greek amphitheater. The lakes and canals comprise an open grid system allowing boat travel between both major lakes, echoing the grid system of streets and walkways on land.
CX	Walkers taking the shorter one hour walk can turn right (East) here when they reach Shipyard road and walk to John Galt Lane, picking up the walk at step #43, guide page 25. The shorter walk does not qualify for a patch, however you can return to this point to complete the back half of the walk another time to finish the trail. Go to step 43 for the truncated walk.