Civil War Sites
History buffs have a lot of historic sites to visit in South Carolina. From Fort Sumter to Parris Island, South Carolina is absolutely brimming with Civil War and American history.
We have the site of the first shot of the Civil War in Charleston at Fort Sumter National Monument. The National Monument also includes the Visitor Center on Patriots Point and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. The Fort Sumter National Memorial is a fascinating look into the beginning of that war. There are preserved elements at Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie with still standing artillery and other historic items. A visit to the Charleston Museum will give you a better understanding of the importance of these sites. It has an exhibit called “City Under Siege” which gives interesting details about what lead to the secession and the battle at Fort Sumter. While you are in Charleston, the Secessionville Historic District on James Island is a collection of sites and structures relevant to the Civil War.
No Civil War history would be complete without a visit to River Bridge State Historic Site. It is on a 400 acre site about seven miles from Ehrhardt. You can do a walking tour which lets you view the mostly intact Civil War fortifications and the cemetery.
Even our State House in Columbia has Civil War significance. It narrowly avoided complete destruction during Sherman’s march in 1865. The building has six bronze stars marking where artillery batteries hit the building.
The SC State Museum in Columbia features a Confederate Relic room, a Military Museum, as well as an impressive Civil War collection. There is a replica of the H.L. Hundley submarine (you can see the original in Charleston), several copies of the original Ordnance of Secession as well as plenty of authentic artifacts.
At the Parris Island Museum at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot near Beaufort, you can get an in-depth look into several Civil War conflicts taking place around the Port Royal Sound area. There are several Confederate Museums in SC. The Confederate Museum in Charleston houses a collection of Civil War goods and items. Greenville is home to the South Carolina Confederate Museum. Myrtle Beach is home to the South Carolina Civil War Museum which features authentic firearms, uniforms, and other artifacts.
There is lots of history in our state offering in depth looks into the era and you can have fun learning.