▁the ▁city ' s ▁new est ▁hospital , ▁Bon ▁Sec ours ▁St . ▁Francis ▁Hospital . ▁These ▁two ▁const itute ▁major ▁employ ers ▁of ▁the ▁region .. ▁W C SC - TV ▁Channel ▁ 5 , ▁the ▁area ' s ▁CBS ▁affili ate ▁and ▁first ▁television ▁station ▁to ▁sign ▁on ▁the ▁air ▁in ▁Char l eston ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁newly ▁constructed ▁broadcast ▁facility ▁in ▁West ▁Ash ley ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁West ▁Ash ley ▁has ▁an ▁independent ▁week ly ▁community ▁newspaper ▁called ▁West ▁Of , ▁which ▁publish es ▁news ▁per tain ing ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁. ▁ ▁West ▁Ash ley ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁self - g overn ed ▁city ▁or ▁town . ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ley ▁is ▁located ▁within ▁the ▁city ▁limits ▁of ▁Char l eston . ▁A ▁few ▁remaining ▁po ckets ▁in ▁un in cor por ated ▁Char l eston ▁County ▁are ▁served ▁by ▁the ▁Saint ▁Andrew s ▁Public ▁Service ▁District , ▁which ▁provides ▁municipal ▁services ▁for ▁areas ▁outside ▁the ▁city ▁limits . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁West ▁Ash ley ▁is ▁noted ▁as ▁the ▁birth place ▁of ▁Char l eston , ▁where ▁English ▁colon ists ▁established ▁the ▁first ▁permanent ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁Carolina ▁col ony ▁at ▁Alb em ar le ▁Point ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 0 . ▁Local ▁Native ▁Americans , ▁particularly ▁the ▁K ia w ah , ▁led ▁the ▁colon ists ▁from ▁the ▁ship ▁Carolina ▁to ▁a ▁suitable ▁sett ling ▁ground . ▁It ▁is ▁believed