Aerial view, Fort Sumter, 1950. The Salient is in the foreground; the Gorge in the rear. Through the center extends Battery Huger.
Photo by E. P. Richardson.

How to Reach the Monument

Fort Sumter National Monument is located in the harbor of Charleston, S. C. Public transportation to the fort is furnished by Grayline Tours, Inc. Boats leave the Battery, Charleston (at the foot of King Street), at 10 a. m., and 2:30 p. m., daily. (Tours were later handled by Fort Sumter Harbor Tours, Charleston Marina, foot of Calhoun Street).

Administration

Fort Sumter National Monument, covering about 2-1/2 acres, was established under authority of act of Congress approved April 28, 1948. It is a part of the National Park System owned by the people of the United Stares and administered for them by the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior. Communications concerning the monument should be addressed to the Superintendent, Fort Sumter National Monument, 50 Broad Street, Charleston, S. C.

Related Areas

Other seacoast fortifications in the National Park System are: Fort Pulaski National Monument, Savannah Beach, Ga.; Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments, St. Augustine, Fla.; Fort Frederica National Monument, St. Simon Island, Ga.; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Md.; and Fort Jefferson National Monument in the Dry Tortugas Islands, 68 miles from Key West, Fla.

Battlefields of the Civil War in the National Park System include: Gettysburg National Military Park, Pa.; Antietam National Battlefield Site, Md.; Manassas (Bull Run) National Battlefield Park, Va.; Fredericksburg (includes battlefields of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse) National Military Park, Va.; Petersburg National Military Park, Va.; Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Tenn.-Ga.; Fort Donelson, Stones River, and Shiloh National Military Parks, Tenn.; Vicksburg National Military Park, Miss.; Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Ga.; Richmond National Battlefield Park, Va.; and Appomattox Court House National Historical Monument, Va.

Visitor Facilities

Fort Sumter National Monument is open to the public every day throughout the year, with guide service available from 8:30 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. if requested of the superintendent in advance. A guide accompanies visitors going to the fort on the Grayline Tours boats. Organizations and groups are given special service if arrangements are made in advance with the superintendent. Historical literature and information may be obtained at the superintendent's office from 8:30 a. m. to 5 p. m., Monday through Friday.

Fort Sumter National Monument has no facilities for camping or picnic parties, but accommodations may be found at trailer parks, auto tourist camps, and hotels in Charleston and vicinity.

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Last Modified: Mon, Dec 2 2002 10:00:00 am PDT http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/12/hh12u.htm