Built in 1830 by the West Point Foundry of New York, the Best Friend of Charleston is known as the first locomotive to be entirely built in the United States. It was a steam-powered railroad locomotive made for the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company.

The Best Friend of Charleston served immediately as a passenger train around Charleston. At the time, it was the fastest mode of transportation with its maximum of 25 miles per hour speed. Sadly, by 1831, it suffered from a boiler explosion, another first for the vehicle and the United States.

Today, folks can visit its replicas. A full size version is available in the South Carolina State Museum, while an operable replica can be found at the National Railway Historical Society.