Secessionville Historic District, Historic district in Charleston County, United States

Secessionville Historic District, near Folly Beach and extending into Charleston, contains six contributing buildings: one Victorian and two antebellum Greek Revival residences among them. The district also holds the site of the 1862 Battle of Secessionville, the unmarked grave of over 300 Union soldiers, and the remains of Fort Lamar, built about 1862.

This settlement began as a retreat for planters but became a Confederate military stronghold during the Civil War. The Battle of Secessionville in 1862 turned it into a major engagement between Southern and Northern forces.

The area displays summer homes that planters from James Island built for seasonal retreats, while the remains of Fort Lamar show how military needs shaped local architecture during the 1800s.

Most properties in the district remain in private hands, so visitors should respect boundaries and explore only publicly accessible areas. The site is best reached by car since it sits away from downtown Charleston.

An unmarked mass grave holds around 300 Union soldiers who fell during the battle, serving as a quiet reminder of the human cost of war. This burial ground is often overlooked by visitors exploring the historic buildings.