Fort Sumter National Monument

Fort Sumter National Monument 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.).