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January 2024 by Norbert K.
Fort Moultrie is a National Park site on picturesque Sullivan's Island, overlooking Charleston Harbor. Together with Fort Sumpter, Moultrie and its cannons defended Charleston before and during the American Civil War. Decommissioned as a coastal defense in 1947, Moultrie sits today behind a sand redoubt and bears a silent witness to history going back to the American Revolution. The history buff in me enjoyed seeing the fortifications, cannons, artifacts, and exhibits that tell Moultrie's story. Views across Charleston Harbor from here are terrific. There's an admission fee to enter the fort; I used my NP Senior Pass.
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December 2023 by David Lieu
• We visited on a Sunday morning in late December 2023 (Christmas Eve). There was plenty of parking in the large parking lot. We actually got lost making a left after seeing the fort but the visitor center is actually the next right slightly down the road.• It was quite busy, much more so than Fort Sumter Visitor Center in Liberty Square.• They do request payment or showing your annual pass as you enter the visitor center. There are signs at the fort that say the same thing although there was no one out at the fort enforcing it so it’s on the honor system out there.• The bathrooms are located just outside the main entrance to visitor center.• The junior ranger books can be picked up at the main desk and they also happen to have the junior ranger books and badges for Fort Sumter and Charles Pinckney as well as this is the main office they do their mailings from. They also have the NPS Passport Cancellation Stamps for those sites. The junior ranger book for Ft. Moultrie can be done inside the visitor center.• There is a theater inside on the right that plays a short film. It’s funny as the Ranger at Ft. Sumter mentioned to us to count how many outfits the actor changes into as the whole video is shot with the same actor as he goes through the history of the fort in all the different outfits. I think my middle son counted 8.• The NPS store is also a decent size and includes a couple items from Charles Pinckney but didn’t notice much for Ft. Sumter.• The exhibits in here are relatively new and very well done. There were a few displays that were incomplete or under construction at the time of our visit.• Another Ranger was giving a program/tour of the fort at 11AM and he was fabulous. Very engaging while getting all the information across. We had a large group, and everyone was paying attention.• Ranger Rebecca (spelling?) went above and beyond and was awesome! She helped us with everything from NPS store questions to questions about the fort and the other local forts. She gave us info about status of the other parks as Charles Pinckney had closed for the entire day and also information about the local town and what to do etc.• We didn’t get to see everything and would probably stop by again if we were in the area to finish everything. Also see what the final exhibits would be inside the visitor center. Additionally, a number of people took the trails down to the water but we decided against it.
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December 2023 by Don W.
Very nice self guided walking tour through the fort. Nice visitor center too. Friendly staff. The fort has many decades of use represented.
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December 2023 by Chase Erford
Ultimate example of preservation.Fort Moultry was beautifully intact and a joy to walk through. With an entry fee to get inside Fort Moultry, you can view armaments and buildings that remain on its interior. Fort Sumpter can be viewed from the sandy beach just 50 yards from Moultry.Visitor center is missing some exhibits but has multiple NPS Passport stamp cancellations for the National Military Park, Charleston Light, Underground Railroad, Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, and the nearby Charles Pinckney NHS.
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September 2023 by Chad S.
We decided to visit Fort Moultrie while on vacation. Our kids were climbing on the cannons to the side of the fort. There was a sign beside the cannons advising you to not climb on them. I didn't see the sign at first, but made my kids get off as soon as I saw it. We then walked out to the beach and around the fort. About 15-20 minutes later we were then approached by a female park ranger. She stated that she saw us earlier on the cannons! She told us not to climb on the cannons or harm any of the other historical items! I apologized and told her I understood that and made my kids get off as soon as I saw the sign. She remained extremely rude! I don't feel this situation was handled correctly. The park ranger did not just inform us about the historical nature of the cannons, or let us know that we could have harmed them. She was extremely rude and seemed to be vindictive when she approached us like she had been waiting the 15-20 minutes for us to make it make it around to fuss at us. Unfortunately our visit to Fort Moultrie was ruined and we just left.
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July 2023 by Dana Z.
Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I didn't go on a melt-your-skin-off hot day. My stars are primarily for the very informative and full of information park rangers in the visitors center. I don't know a lot of the history of the fort and at the time we went, there wasn't a ranger talk at the fort site so we were left to explore on our own. For ME, I didn't find it too interesting but I'm sure if I had more background info provided I would have felt like I learned something so try to go when a ranger is there.
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June 2023 by Vincent Hutton
Super fun place to visit! Good spot to escape the crowds. A National Treasure.I really enjoyed visiting because they showed how Fort was utilized in its early years and how it was transformed during WWII! This Fort was used to defend Charleston against the British early on! The British under estimate it and lost many ships and had to retreat! The British did come back and recaptured the area but they by passed the fort. It was a great spot to visit and it showed cannons from the 1600s and when the Fort was upgraded it showed off the new technology! There was plenty of parking and it was a good spot to escape the crowds that Sullivan a each brought in! You can see Fort Sumter in the back ground! There are underground bunkers that are cool and a good spot to escape the heat! I went to this Fort twice during my stay in Charleston because it was peaceful and it had really good views! I paid only $10.00 to visit! All the staff was super friendly and knowledgeable about the fort! They were passionate about the Fort and were excited to explain its history! There was tons of Information and the premise was very well maintained! It was a too 3 destination in Charleston for me! I wish I had taken pictures to post! There was a cool little church on the compounds and other cools buildings! I will go back! It was a great spot to bring a family!
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June 2023 by Rachel Wallace
We went in expecting more from this monument. They have Revolutionary to WWII in the small museum, but just very small snippets.We were later informed that you need to go to Patriots Point to get the better information.Price for entry: $10
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May 2023 by Shirley N.
Several primary reasons for coming:* we did everything on our three day itinerary and ran out of things to see and do.* hubby wanted to collect another stamp for his National Park passbook.* we had our lifetime park pass on us so free admission.* great view of Fort Sumter from the beach.
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January 2023 by Naomi H.
Interesting piece of American history in quaint Sullivan's Island. Lots of history. Battery Jasper. You can explore the gun deck. Coastal Defense.
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January 2023 by Haneen O.
We were looking for an activity and I found this place on Yelp nearby, so off we went. Lots of parking available, and admission was $10/adults. Since it is a National Park Service site, you an get free admission with an America the Beautiful pass. The gentleman who greeted us at the visitors center was welcoming and friendly.We watched the 22 minute video that gave some history about this site from the POV of someone who was there (reenactment). The visitors center has displays and memorabilia to give background about the war and the significance of this particular fort. Walking around the grounds is easy enough, there are signs guiding you on your tour and a map in case you need it. I thought the underground bunker with the radio room was cool, as were the array of cannons outside. My favorite part has to be the Toni Morrison dedication plaque at the end of the parking lot, near the bench (aptly titled A Bench By The Road). Not a huge history buff but this is a cool spot to spend a few hours.
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August 2022 by Anastasia M.
I always bring visiting friends here to experience the past. The tiny museum is full of information and then being able to go into the fort is a cool experience. I've been here so many times, it's great to Star gaze !!!
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July 2022 by Burke B.
Super fun to see and stay for the video at the park station. We had a volunteer who told us more history than a college course. Lots of fun!
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May 2022 by Dani C.
Came to Charleston for the history and this was honestly one of my favorite spots! I'm surprised it's not advertised more! Fort Moultrie Originally named Fort Sullivan, it was built of palmetto logs which inspired the flag and nickname of South Carolina, as "The Palmetto State". American Revolution: British Admiral Sir Peter Parker with 9 British warships attacked the fort on June 28, 1776. The soft palmetto logs did not crack under bombardment but rather absorbed the shot. William Moultrie and his 400 hundred men fought a 9hr battle that ended with the heavily damaged British ships retreating. The fort took the name Fort Moultrie in his honor. Charleston locals celebrate "Carolina Day" to commemorate this. The British eventually captured Fort Moultrie in 1780 and renamed it Fort Arbuthnot; nevertheless, the colonists still won the war. Early 1800s: For 50 years the Army detained Native American prisoners at Fort Moultrie. Seminole Indian fighter Osceola and some fellow Seminoles were captured in late 1837 and transferred to the fort. Osceola died of malaria in January 1838; the Army buried his corpse at the front gate of Fort Moultrie and thereafter maintained his grave.Civil War: On December 26, 1860, Union Major Robert Anderson moved his garrison from Fort Moultrie to the stronger Fort Sumter. In April 1861, Confederate troops shelled Fort Sumter into submission, and the American Civil War began. When the Confederate army evacuated the city in February 1865, Fort Sumter was little more than a pile of rubble and Fort Moultrie lay hidden under the band of sand that protected its walls from Federal shells. In 1960, the Department of Defense transferred Fort Moultrie to the National Park Service. NPS has interpreted the fort as a tour backward in time from its defenses from World War II to the original palmetto log fort constructed by William Moultrie.
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April 2022 by David Hesterly
The beauty of this historic place is the people that run it. The most accommodating and inviting people of all the NPS places I’ve been to.
