South Carolina is known for its beautiful views and rich history. Take some time out of your week to go and explore it, capture beautiful pictures, and spend some bonding time with your family.
#1 Old Sheldon Church
The Old Sheldon Church is a favorite among locals and vacationers, and for good reason. The church was originally built in 1745-1753 and was one of the first to imitate a Greek temple. British troops led by General Augustine Prevost in 1776 during the Revolutionary War set it on fire; it was later rebuilt between 1825 and 1826. Then on January 14th, 1865 General Sherman's troops burned the church a second time during his " March to the Sea" Campain. The church was never rebuilt, but the walls still stand high today. Old Sheldon Church is a great place to take visiting friends and family members. If you're new to our beautiful Lowcountry area this is a great place to start exploring, find it here at Old Sheldon Church Rd, Yemassee, SC 29945.
#2 Fort Fremont
Today, Fort Fremont is engrossed in heavy vegetation and all that is left is the shell of two batteries and a hospital building. Named after General Charles C. Fremont (Savannah native and one of the four major generals appointed by Abraham Lincoln) the fort was once 70 acres and included a hospital, barracks, stables, guardhouses, commissary, and numerous support buildings. Although Fort Fremont never engaged in any military activity, there were fights between men of the 116th and locals about the sale of illegal whiskey that lead to death for some. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a picture due to some construction going on at the fort. When they're back up and running, Fort Fremont is a great place to visit and some even say that the fort is haunted. You can find it at 1126 Lands End Rd, St Helena Island, SC 29920.
#3 Hunting Island Lighthouse
The Hunting Island lighthouse resides in Hunting Island State Park and is located near the north side of the beach. The lighthouse is the only one in South Carolina that the public can climb all the way to the top. The structure was built in 1859 then destroyed during the Civil war. When it was rebuilt in 1875, they made it out of removable cast iron plates so that it could be easily rebuilt or moved. What a good call that was, because in 1875 erosion forced the lighthouse from its ground and was moved 1.25 miles to its current location. Near the lighthouse, you can also see where the lighthouse keepers residence would have been as well as a few rebuilt sheds that would have also been on the land. While visiting you can also play at the beach, go fishing, check out the campground, and stroll along beautiful trails. To see the lighthouse, go to 2555 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island, 29920. For more details and pricing go to the South Carolina State Parks website.
#4 Fort Mitchel
Unlike the other sites that we have named, there are no remnants of Fort Mitchel. Union General Ormsby Mitchel established Mitchelville in 1862 (during the Civil War). Mitchelville was a safe haven for former slaves freed by the troops. Fort Mitchel was built also in 1862 on Skull Creek to protect the island against Confederate attacks. Although seeing the actual fort would have been amazing, they made up for it with a beautiful nature walk, gorgeous ocean views, and informational signs of the history. What placed this area on our top five is the unique attribute of their weekly tours (click here for tour information) and a cute restaurant placed right next to the walking path. The address is 65 Skull Creek Dr, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.
#5 Fort Howell
Unfortunately, there is no actual fort here either. However, they do have metal sculptures (created by Mary Ann Browning Ford) of historical people that would've been in the area during the Civil War era. The forts main purpose was to protect Mitchelville, home of the freed slaves. Like Fort Fremont, Fort Howell saw no military action but serves as a testament for the admirable military engineering. Today, Fort Howell is a series of dirt paths surrounded by trees and a great place to take the kids to learn about the Lowcountry's Civil War history. You can find it at 160 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head Island, 29926.
References
https://heritagelib.org/fort-howell
https://www.scpictureproject.org/beaufort-county/fort-fremonthtml/
http://www.hiltonhead-sc.com/fort-mitchel.html
https://www.scpictureproject.org/beaufort-county/old-sheldon-churchhtml/
http://www.huntingisland.com/lighthouse.htm
