Your Fee Dollars Help Preservation at Fort Moultrie

Date: January 14, 2014
Contact: Bill Martin, [phone] x 11

During the week of January 13–17 Fort Sumter National Monument is preserving the ornamental iron fence around Osceola’s grave, located at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. This preservation work is made possible, in part, by entrance fees paid at Fort Moultrie. This is your fee dollars at work.

Osceola was a key leader in the native resistance to U.S. encroachment onto Seminole lands during the Second Seminole War. He was captured in Florida and brought to Fort Moultrie in 1837. On January 30, 1838, Osceola succumbed to a fever and died. He was buried the following day in the grave outside the fort walls.

The National Park Service has partnered with the Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC) of Clemson University to perform restoration work on the iron fence surrounding his grave. The team of conservators from WLCC is using state of the art techniques to quickly and gently remove old paint layers and corrosion from the fence. Corrosion inhibitors and a new coating will then be applied to preserve the fence for years to come.

Fort Moultrie is administered by the National Park Service as a unit of Fort Sumter National Monument. Located at 1214 Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island, SC, Fort Moultrie is open daily from 9:00–5:00 except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Days. For more information, call [phone].