Form 10-306 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Oct. 1972) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) National Monument AND/OR HISTORIC: t:-?K&©jw1ii?8i^:i^ :iS:8$S:$^^ STREET AND NUMBER: P/ yA NATIONAL / CITY OR TOWN: CONGRESSIONAL DlWV^«CT: REGISTER /.£ Sn*n-ive.nta Tslsnd 1st X^ ^*& STATE: CODH• COUNTY: . X^?/ / 7*T-rT"V ^^* E Charleston ^CsLU" 019 ^^l^lilimi^l^ii^i^^^l^^P^l^^^^^^ <TATII<; = © ACCESSIBLE (Chock?r*TE*S One)RY, OWNERSHIP SIArua , TO THE PUBLIC [Xfl District {"~| Building lyl Public Public Acqui sition: PC] Occupied Yes: Q) Site | | Structure «, [~~1 Private Q In Pr ocess [~1 Unoccupied ^ Restricted CD Object Q Both Q Beinjj Considered Q Preservation work m Unrestricted in progress [~) No - PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) [~~] Agricultural Q Government 53 Porlr [~1 Transportation f/l Comments | | Commercial [ | Industrial Q Pr©rvate Resi dence Q Other (Specify) ............. Q Educational Q] Military Q Religious Q Entertainment Q Museum Q Scientific _ «. (A National Park Service " H REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS: (If applicable) STREET AND NUMBER: n m * Southeast Region 3401 Chippie Avenue CITY OR TOWN: STATE: CODE Georgia 303/4 13 pii i©S©S:©.:$JS$:::©-S::©:i^^^ 1 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: COUNTY: fiha^leston County Coufrt House Charleston STREET AND NUMBER: 2 Court House Square CITY OR TOWN! STATE: CODE South Carolina 45 ^^.^ww^^^s^^^^^i^^^^^^^^^^HVia-KlftS-hon TITLE OF SURVEY: ENTR -n O 70 DATE OF SURVEY: Q Federal Q State Q County [~| Local NUMBERY Z TJ DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: </» c </> m STREET AND NUMBER: r CITY OR TOWN: STATE: CODE DATE (Check One) C3 Excellent SJ Good I] Fair \ | Deteriorated [ | Ruins [~| Unexpoted CONDITION (Check One) (Check One) UJf Altered | | Unaltered Q Moved jgTOriginal Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Fort Sumter national Monument was established in 194# to commemorate the historical events at or near Fort Somber during the Civil War. Fort Sumter is located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina* In 1960, Fort Moultrie and its related structures were added* Construction 230 and Battery Jasper were added to the Monument in 1967* These units are located on West Middle Street, Sullivan©s Island, one mile northeast of Fort Sumter. This concentration of interrelated structures portrays one of the finest examples of the evolution of coastal defense systems in America from 1776 to the present. Fort Moultrie today is the administrative headquarters for the Monument under the National Park Service. 1. Site of Fort Moultrie No. 1 (No. FOSU 1) Historic research indicates that this grassy sand-covered unexposed site is located to the south of and partially under the present Fort Moultrie. Hastily built because of an impending attack on Charleston by the British in 1776, this partially completed structure of palmetto logs and sand was the scene of one of the most decisive battles of the m American Revolution. On June 23, 1776, Colonel William Moultrie and m approximately 400 South Carolirdans repulsed nine British warships, keeping the Southern colonies free from British eontrol until 1780 when they returned and captured the fort* It was named Fort Moultrie to honor Colonel Moultrie and his victory. A storm wrecked the fort C in 17^3 and most of the remains were salvaged for building materials o or probably washed away* An archeological excavation will begin H shortly for possible remains of the fort because of its historical O importance. Besides being the first major naval engagement of the z Revolutionary War, the victory in 1776 also gave inspiration for the symbol of the South Carolina flag - a palmetto tree on a blue sea* The site of Fort Moultrie No. 1 also portrays the earliest phase of a continuous 200 year evolution of harbor fortifications in the Charleston area. Significance: 1st Order Longitude! 79 51© 29" Latitude: 32 45 1 33" Acreage: 3 acres Recommended treatment: Preservation Preliminary cost estimate: $500 annually (maintenance of site) PERIOD (Check One or More aa Appropriate) O Pre-Colombion Q 16th Century Century (""I 20th Century [H 15th Century 19th Century AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Aboriginal f~i Education @3 Political I | Urban Planning r~1 Prehistoric *.|<1| Engineering tU Religion/Phi Q Other (Specify) C] Historic Q Industry losophy [~1 Agriculture I 1 Invention [~"| Science E9* Architecture I | Landscape [~1 Sculpture C] Art Architecture |~| Social/Human f~1 Commerce [~~| Literature itarian I I Communications J3 Military f~l Theater I I Conservation |~) Transportation STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Perhaps no area in America embraces the evolution of harbor fortifications as well as Fort Sumter National Monument* Strategically located at the mouth of Charleston Harbor, the first Fort Moultrie was the scene of a victory on June 28, 1776, that prevented the British from quenching the American Revolution in its early stages. The second Fort Moultrie occupied almost the same site from 1794 - 1804 as war clouds in Europe posed numerous threats to America. The third Fort Moultrie, completed in 1811, played its most significant role during the Civil War* On December 26, 1860, Union Major Robert Anderson evacuated the fort to occupy the new Fort Sumter one mile southwest in Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter was built as a defensive counterpart to Fort Moultrie. With the question of peace or Civil War centered on Fort Sumter, the guns of Fort Moultrie helped drive Jfejor Anderson out of the fort during the opening battle of the War , April 12 -13> 1861, As the symbol of secession and Southern resistance, Fort Sumter was heavily damaged by Union rifled guns in 1863 -65, which signalled the end of obsolete masonry forts with many guns. However, Fort Moultrie was able to keep the lifeline of the Confederacy open until February, 1865. During rehabilitation of these forts in the 1870*s, larger guns were spaced farther apart, powder magazines were built underground and closer to the guns. As armament evolved to breech-loading, rapid-fire weapons, Batteries Jasper and Huger were built in the Spanish-American War era. These huge concrete structures could also withstand the more powerful naval armament. To protect minefields, smaller batteries such as Bingham, McCorkle, and Lord were developed. In World War II, the logical culmination in the evolution of harbor fortifications was the employment of electronic detection equipment of the Harbor Entrance Control Post with nearby defensive guns. Coastal fortifications, as such, have been replaced by roving missiles and electronic surveillance. Presently, the Navy uses Construction 230 as a base for its Shipboard Electronics Systems Evaluation Facility* The structures of Fort Sumter National Monument, whether large or small, have played a substantial role in safeguarding the Charleston area through nearly 200 years of history and seven wars. Bames, Frank. Fort Sumter National Moniaaeat» -South Carolina. Washington, D* C. : National Bark Service, 1952. Bearss, Edwin C. Battery Jasper, Fort giaater National Monument. Washington, D. C. : U. S, Department of the Interior, 1968* Bearss, Edwin C. the First Two Fort Motaltries - A Structural History Washington,, D« Ce : U. S* Department of the Interior, 1968, Bearss, Edwin C. Fort Houltrie No. 3» Washington, D. C. : NFS, 1968. Garner, John C., Jr. Historic Structure Report - Architectural Data Section. Unpublished. Fort Moiatrie; NFS, 1973* CORNER LATITUDE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degree* Minutes Seconds Degrees79° Minutes53 ' 12Seconds " Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 32 I 45 ©45 " NE 32 o 45 ©45 " 79 0 51 ' 13 " SE 32 45 ©oo :: 79, 5t ' 13 : SW 4i APPROXIMATEICTATE12 ACffACREAGEL.5 OF NOMIN 79ATED iMoPERTY:iM53 LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE COUNTY: CODE m rn STATE: COUNTY: CODE STATE! COUNTY: CODE H "7* C NAME AND TITLES . , . DATE: O Benjamin G. Nelson. Historian H O Z PHONE: CODE State Liaison Officer recommendation: I hereby certify that this property is included in the C3 Yes National Register. a NO None State Lleiaon Oiticer Signature . In compliance -with Executive Order 11593, I hereby nominate this property to the National Register, certify HTIOHAL/feEGISTEfi ing that the State Liaison Officer has been allowed 90 days in which to present the nomination to the State Re- viajBoard and to evaluate its signifi^*«ce. The recom- Date ff signifkfancis ^^ational^l I State ATTEST: Title Date .GPO 938-449 Form 10-300a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE South Carolina NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Charleston FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER (Continuation Sheet) (Number all entries) Site of Fort Moultrie No. 2 (No. FOSU 2) Historic research indicates that this grassy sand-covered un- exposed site lies about ten yards south of the present Fort Moultrie. When war with the British appeared imminent in 1794, work began quickly on a badly needed fort. It was constructed of brick, tabby,cement, sand and palmetto logs with dimensions of 250 1 x 125 1 . Finally completed in 1798, it saw little service because it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1804. The remains were mostly salvaged for the new fort that replaced it. An archeolog- ical exploration will probe for possible remains of the found ation and wells. Preservation of the site will continue as it was the location of a short-lived fort that served its purpose in the continuing evolution of coastal defenses at Charleston Harbor. *x Significance: 2nd Order /A Longitude: 79 51* 29lf Latitude: 32 45« 33" Acreage: 0.7 acres ^ £G/9Tro Preliminary cost estimate: ll ( malRtoftonoo of oftfe) Photo enclosed Fort Moultrie No. 3 (No. FCSU 3) Added to the Fort Sumter National Monument in 1960, Fort Moultrie was built between 1807 and 1811 as a result of British harrassment of American commerce.