October 24, 2014

Charleston, SC

We stopped at the Visitor Center in Charleston because I was mistakenly under the impression that we could purchase our tickets at the center for the ferry to Fort Sumter.  When it was our turn, after waiting in a long line for 20 minutes or so, we found out we could purchase our ferry tickets at the Fort Sumter Visitor Center and park in the garage across from the Center (also the parking garage for the Aquarium).

The parking rate is $2/hr with a maximum $16/day.  Fort Sumter National Monument can be reached only by boat.  The tour boats are operated by a National Park Service concessionaire.  The ferry tickets ran us $34($18 for me and $16 for Monte with a senior rate)

 

I stamped my passport in the Visitor Center.

This is the first time I have seen this type of opener in the rest room. 

We spent a few minutes looking at the exhibits in the Visitor Center.

 

Still having some time to kill before our 11:45 boarding time, we walked around outside.

 

 

 

We couldn’t have asked for nice weather for the crossing to the fort.

 

 

Waiting to disembark.

 

Before going off on our own to explore, Ranger Rick gave a brief history of the role Fort Sumter played in the Civil War.  South Carolina had seceded from the Union, yet Union forces still occupied Fort Sumter at the entrance of Charleston Harbor.

The South demanded that Fort Sumter be vacated. 

 

The Union refused. 

 

 

 

On April 12, 1861, South Carolina Confederate troops from nearby Fort Johnson fired on the fort-the start of a two-day bombardment that resulted in the surrender of Fort Sumter by Union troops.

With the Union withdrawal, the South held the fort until it was finally evacuated on February 17, 1865. 

During that time, the fort experienced one of the longest sieges in modern warfare.  For almost two years, 46,000 shells were fired at Fort Sumter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After wandering around for an hour the announcement was made that the ferry would be departing in 10 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our return trip to the Visitor Center we drove across the bridge to Fort Moultrie located on Sullivan’s Island.

As usual I stamped my passport. 

 

 

 

We checked out the exhibits in the Visitor Center and then watched a short film detailing the history of the fort.  Fort Moultrie, named after Colonel William Moultrie, protected the city of Charleston and its strategically important harbor for more than a century and a half.

 

 

The first fort on Sullivan’s Island, construct of palmetto log walls was built in 1776 to prevent British navel incursions.  The walls readily absorbed shells when nine Royal Navy warships attacked on June 28, 1776.  At the end of the day-long battle the damaged British ships were driven from the area, galvanizing the Patriots’ cause for independence.

 

 

 

In 1798 a second Fort Moultrie was built constructed with earth and timber.  This fort suffered the same fate as its palmetto log predecessor, being reduced to ruins by a series of coastal storms.

 

 

The third and present fort was constructed of brick in 1809, originally fitted with 40 guns.

 

 

 

 

The fort is located across the street from the Visitor Center. 

 

 

 

During the Civil War years the fort was occupied by Confederate forces.

Fort Moultrie underwent numerous changes during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  New threats of submarine and aerial attacks ultimately rendered static seacoast defenses obsolete. 
On August 15, 1947, the army lowered Fort Moultrie’s flag for the final time. 
In 1960, the state of South Carolina transferred Fort Moultrie to the National Park Service as a unit of Fort Sumter National Monument.

As we were leaving the area we noticed a tall structure that turned out to be the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse.  The lighthouse holds the distinction of being the last lighthouse built by the Coast Guard and is the most modern lighthouse in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

We drove back to Charleston because we had made 8PM reservations for a walking Ghost Tour.  While making the reservations I had inquired about parking near the meeting point for the tour at The Griffon, a bar and grill.  We were informed there was a parking garage nearby but we could also look for a metered spot because after 6PM parking was free.

We lucked out by finding a spot directly across from The Griffon.  It was only 5PM so I fed the meter three quarters that would take us into 6PM.

We walked up East Bay St where there were no shortage of bars, taverns and restaurants with menus displayed in windows.  Most of the restaurants were out of our budget. 

We ended up at Mac’s Place, a local sports bar.

Monte ordered a French Dip and I ordered a hamburger.  Both were delicious.

 

After dinner, still having an hour to kill before our tour began, we walked down by the waterfront where we sat in one of the swings.

There were a few people already waiting at The Griffon when we arrived. 

 

The weather was perfect for a walk around Charleston in the dark as our guide took us past beautiful old homes and churches stopping occasionally to tell ghostly tales.

It had been a lovely day doing one of my favorite things-exploring a place of historical significance.