By Andra Watkins, special to Charleston Currents | Most people associate Alexander Hamilton with New York, but his influence reached far beyond his adopted home state. Couple his reach with other characters from Hamilton: An American Musical on a future visit to historic Charleston, South Carolina.

A powerhouse of early America, Charleston rivaled Manhattan in size, money and influence. Its busy port was the first point of entry for many travelers to America, from foreigners seeking a fortune in the new world to Africans wrongly enslaved. Given the flood of people and commerce, Charleston was a hub for anyone after prosperity and power.