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There was one thing that I wanted to do while in Charleston but it can sometimes be tricky during the winter.
Fort Sumter.
Less frequent boat schedules and colder weather are sometimes off-putting, so, when I noticed that temperatures were going to be unseasonably warm while I would be in Charleston, I decided that my plan would be a “go”.
Armed with a few layers and an umbrella (just in case), I headed over to the Liberty Square with an intent to catch the afternoon boat. Though it is recommended to purchase tickets in advance during the busier months, I found no problem in purchasing one at the last minute at the National Park Visitor Center.
The Visitor Center offers information about the Fort and its history to browse before boarding the boat and I read through the information while awaiting our boarding time.
The boat, a pseudo paddle wheeler, soon pulled adjacent to the pier. Taking a spot in the front of the boat, I enjoyed the breezy thirty minute ride to the island.
Once we arrived, we were given sixty minutes to tour the fort and the island. National Parks rangers greeted us at the pier and instructed those wanting to take part in the close-of-the-day flag ceremony to follow them to the upper part of the fort. Interesting as that sounded, I was more interested in taking unobstructed photographs, so I used this time, while others were occupied, to walk around the fort.
Construction began on the fort in 1829 and was named for Revolutionary War general and South Carolina native, Thomas Sumter. The fort was one of fifty built as part of a coastal defense program implemented by Congress in 1817 and was erected on a man-made island entirely formed from thousands of tons of granite. It was the site of the Battle of Fort Sumter in 1861, where a thirty-four hour exchange of artillery fire…the first shots of the Civil War…let to a surrender and the occupation by Confederate troops. After the Civil War, the fort was restored by the U.S. military and occupied during the Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). In 1948, the fort was decommissioned as a military post and turned over to the National Park Service as a National Historic Site.
Although the fort is built on an 2.4 acre island, there is much to discover including the Powder magazine (where Fort Sumter’s powder was stored) the Gorge Wall (the lightly-armed rear wall facing inland) the Battery Huger (named for War hero, Isaac Huger) and a small museum highlighting the fort’s history and items from its occupation. There are a large number and variety of cannons throughout the property and on the top level, a beautiful view of the bay and Fort Johnson, the site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired from.
An hour goes by pretty quickly and after I had captured my last photograph, the rangers were ushering us out to the waiting boat prepared to take us back to Liberty Square. As the sun was going down, so was the temperature and it was nice to take a seat inside, especially since they were now serving adult beverages!
Nothing like a good adult beverage on a sunset cruise!
That’s what is so great about a visit to Fort Sumter…it’s a two-for-one tour! You not only get a lesson on Civil War history, you get a cruise of the harbor, complete with after-hour beverages. You can even step it up and add to the theme! Have a “shot”!!!
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Fort Sumter
- https://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm
- Address: 340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Hours: Ferry Schedule, See Below. National Park Visitor Center, 0830-1700
- Admission: Adults (ages 12-61), $24, Seniors and Active Military (62+/Military ID), $22, Children (ages 4-11), $16, Infant (ages under 3), free
Fort Sumter Boat Schedule
| Date | Liberty Square – Downtown Charleston | Patriots Point – Mount Pleasant |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2 – Feb 28 | 11:00 am, 2:30 pm | 1:00 pm |
| Mar 1 – Mar 14 | 9:30 am, 12:00 pm & 2:30 pm | 10:30 am, 1:00 pm |
| Mar 15-Aug 20 & Labor Day Weekend | 9:30 am, 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm & 4:00 pm | 10:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm** |
| Aug 21 – Nov 30 | 9:30 am, 12:00 pm & 2:30 pm | 10:30 am, 1:00 pm |
| Dec 1 – Dec 24 | 11:00am, 2:30 pm | 1:00 pm |
| Dec 26 – Dec 31 | 9:30 am, 12:00 pm & 2:30 pm | 10:30 am, 1:00 pm |
| Thanksgiving, Dec 25 & Jan 1 | Fort Closed | Fort Closed |