Fort Moultrie: A Fun Place to Visit with Your Children in South Carolina

If you're travelling and looking for a stop that is historic and interesting or you want to take your children on a day trip that is really fun for them and give them an opportunity to learn a little history, then try Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina. This is also a great outing for teachers and homeschoolers to consider.

Fort Moultrie in Charleston, SC is fun for children and adults to visit. Fort Moultrie is the location of the first victory of the American Revolution. The Fort has been rebuilt three times and the present day fort has been there since 1809. The fort is located on Sullivan's Island in the Charleston area.

The first Fort Moultrie was built in 1776 and from here the revolutionary soldiers fought off the British who were trying to capture Charleston. Giving the American Revolution its first victory over the British. The commander of the fort at that time was Colonel William Moultrie and so in honor of his victory the fort was named after him.

When the revolutionary war ended the fort was abandoned and what had been the original fort basically disappeared. Then in 1793 the congress authorized the building of a system of forts along the coast and Fort Moultrie was rebuilt as part of that system. The second fort was destroyed by a hurricane in 1804.

Again a new fort was constructed and has been standing in its present location since 1809. During the civil war the fort suffered much damage as it helped to defend Charleston Harbor and the city of Charleston against the North.

As you walk through Fort Moultrie you will see a history of the different weapons that have been used during different time periods in the defenses of the fort. Children can touch them and read about all the different kinds of armament.

There is a fee to enter the fort. Seniors who are over 62 are charged $1.00, adults 16 to 61 are charged $3.00, children under 16 are free, and families are charged a total of $5.00. If you already have a Federal and National Recreational Land Pass, there is no additional charge. If teachers would like to arrange a tour for their class, a reservation will need to be made for groups over 20. You can call (843) 883-3123 for a reservation. The location of the fort is at 1214 Middle St., Sullivan's Island, SC. Fort Moultrie is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The only days they are closed is New Years Day, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving Day.

I completely enjoyed my visit to this national monument and this is a great place to take children. It also provides a good learning experience for children of all ages.

Sources

http://fortmoultrie.areaparks.com/

http://www.nps.gov/fosu/historyculture/fort_moultrie.htm

http://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm