Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultrie is a fortified position on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina along the Atlantic coast near Charleston. The site includes bastions from different construction phases, underground corridors, and exhibition rooms about American coastal defense.

The first structure built with palmetto trunks appeared in 1776 and repelled British naval assaults, protecting Charleston from capture. Later expansions took place during the Civil War and both World Wars, when defense technology underwent fundamental changes.

The coastal position today displays artillery emplacements from multiple eras and interpretation panels about the region's military defense story. Visitors can trace how coastal fortification technology changed over two centuries.

The site opens daily between nine in the morning and half past four in the afternoon and belongs to the National Park Service. Guided walks begin at the visitor center, where orientation maps and tips for exploring the grounds are available.

The soft palmetto trunks of the first wooden fortification absorbed British cannonballs instead of shattering, contributing significantly to the defense. This unusual building material later became the symbol of South Carolina and now appears on the state flag.