Fort Sumter National Monument Travel Guide

 grandmaR Says:  When we got off the ferry, we walked around with a ranger for a short (10 minute) tour. After that we walked around on our own. You do not have to take the ranger tour, but it really helps to understand the history of the fort. One of the facts I remember is that the guns at... 

 grandmaR Says:  The ferry ride to Fort Sumter costs money - it is operated by a contractor. But the Exhibit Hall on the Charleston side ferry docks is free. Inside is a museum giving the history of the fort and the area before and during the Civil War. The Exhibit Hall is open 8:30 to 5... 

 goingsolo Says:  The museum on Fort Sumter is a tiny area which contains some interesting exhibits. One of the original flags which flew over the Fort is on display here. The photo shows how the nearly completely destroyed Fort after the war. During the attempts at preservation, the Park... 

 goingsolo Says:  In order to tour Fort Sumter, you must take one of the boat tours offered by the National Park Service. There are two departing locations- one on Calhoun Street and the other on Mount Pleasant. The tours depart twice a day- three times per day in the busiest months, and run... 

 saraheg77 Says:  Fort Sumter was an enjoyable day's visit for the price. The little boat ride out to the monument was very pleasant! There was some construction going on at the time we were there, but I'm sure it's gone by now! :) 

 goingsolo Says:  Fort Sumter was not heavily armed at the start of the civil war. In 1860, only 15 canons were ready for battle. After the Confederates seized the fort, they began fortifying its defenses. But some of the canons you see during the tour are Union canons which were located on... 

 goingsolo Says:  Many people think of Fort Sumter as the place where the war began and do not realize the overali mportance of the Fort. The Union tried many methods of obtaining surrender from the Confederates and one of these was a naval blockade of the Atlantic Coast. The South needed to... 

 goingsolo Says:  In the now entranceway, there is a plaque which honors the Confederate defenders of Fort Sumter. A Union monument was also erected to honor the Union defenders of the opening bombardment. Although none of the Union soldiers were killed during the original bombardment, many... 

 goingsolo Says:  When the Confederates took over Fort Sumter, down came the U.S. flag and up went the flag of South Carolina. The Confederate flag also flew over the Fort. Today, there are six flags which fly over the fort: The U.S. flag is in the center, two of the former U.S. flags with 33... 

 goingsolo Says:  The visitor's center, shown in the photo is the place where tours start. There is a series of exhibits here which trace the events leading up to the war. Its worth taking some time to browse this area as the exhibits provide a great deal of background information that many...