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Fort Sumter National Monument Review

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Fort Sumter National Monument

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Fodor's Review:

The first shot of the Civil War was fired at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. After a 34-hour battle, Union forces surrendered the fort, which became a symbol of Southern resistance. The Confederacy held it, despite almost continual bombardment, from August 1863 to February 1865. When it was finally evacuated, the fort was a heap of rubble. Today the National Park Service oversees it.

The Fort Sumter Liberty Square Visitor Center, next to the South Carolina Aquarium, contains exhibits on the Civil War. This is a departure point for ferries headed to the island where you find Fort Sumter itself. 340 Concord St., Upper King, 29401. 843/577-0242. Free. Daily 8:30-5.

Rangers conduct guided tours of the restored Fort Sumter. To reach the fort, you have to take a ferry; boats depart from Liberty Square Visitor Center and from Patriot's Point in Mount Pleasant. There are six crossings daily between mid-March and mid-August. The schedule is abbreviated the rest of the year, so call ahead for details. Charleston Harbor. 843/577-0242. www.nps.gov/fosu. Fort free; ferry $15, kids 9 and under $5. Mid-Mar.-early Sept., daily 10-5:30; early Sept.-Mar., daily 10-4 (11:30-4 Jan.-Feb.).

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 3/31/09
This is now pretty much a ruin, with several cannons on site, some of the original brick outside wall intact, and an ugly black interior addition from the late 19th century. The visitor's center and the fort have some historic background on the fort before, during, and after the Civil War -- there are historic flags at the latter museum area. Good ranger tour given at the fort. Boat shuttle trips out and back are infrequent and a visit takes a good couple hours. A bleak, if picturesque spot, that's perhaps more interesting for what happened here (very significant) than what you actually see.

Member Rating: 3.0
Ratings details: Experience: 3.0 Ease: 2.0 Value: 4.0 Don't Miss: 3.0
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