Road Trips of America is supported by affiliate links. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn a commission. Learn more
The subject of this article is located on these scenic highways.
Learn more about how to visit Revolutionary War battlefields, museums, and historic sites with travel guides and road trip itineraries.
On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard round the world” officially began the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts. It would take another seven months before the War for American Independence reached South Carolina. But long before these events took place, Charleston had grown as a center of revolutionary spirit.
The Charleston Tea Party, Christopher Gadsden’s infamous flag, revolt against the Stamp Act and Tea Act, and the occupation of Charleston during the war are all explained at eight historical sites throughout the city. A visit to each of these will slowly define the scope of the Revolutionary War across South Carolina and the effects it had on Charleston.
Take a weekend getaway to Charleston. Stay at a swanky downtown hotel. Spend your day visiting historic sites, and your evenings sampling the fantastic local food. And when you leave, you’ll understand why British General Charles Campbell once wrote that Charleston was “the fountainhead from which all violence flows in this area.”
How to use this map: Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the star beside the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.
The best place to begin the discovery of the Revolutionary War in Charleston is The Charleston Museum, the oldest museum in the country. The museum has a vast collection of artifacts and information from Charleston’s creation in 1680 through modern times.
The second floor of the museum is a chronological exploration of Charleston’s history. One segment, in particular, focuses on the Revolutionary War with artifacts on display and descriptions of local battles.
READ MORE: The Coffee Lover’s Guide to My Favorite Coffee Shops in Charleston, SC
Admission to the museum is just $5 for children, $10 for youth, and $12 for adults. It will take about an hour to wander through the museum, longer if you want to take in the entire collection on display. Be sure to visit the gift shop on the ground level for books on the Revolutionary War.
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon is one of the most historical and downright awesome buildings to tour in Charleston. Completed in 1771, the Old Exchange Building was the first customs house in the city. But during the Revolutionary War, it would become something else entirely.
When the British occupied Charleston in 1780, they converted the basement level of the building into a provost or dungeon. Patriots captured when Charleston fell were chained in the basement, including three of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. While many prisoners were sent to St. Augustine, and others banished to British-controlled Philadelphia, the most infamous prisoners were kept close by in the provost.
READ MORE: Road Trip to Discover the Revolutionary War Across South Carolina
Take a thirty-minute guided tour of the Provost Dungeon, then head to the top floor to see the grand ballroom where George Washington was entertained in 1791. In the Isaac Haynes Room, you’ll find information on several other Revolutionary War battles throughout South Carolina, such as the Battle of Kings Mountain and Battle of Huck’s Defeat.
Built in 1712, The Powder Magazine is the oldest remaining public building in South Carolina. With 36” thick walls topped with several tons of sand in the ceiling, the building was used to store gunpowder for the city’s defenses.
A small museum explores the history of the building, the Walled City of Charles Town, and action during the Revolutionary War. Guided tours are offered throughout the week.
In 1772, Daniel Heyward built a three-story double brick house on the site of a previous home. His son, Thomas, grew up in that house. Thomas Heyward was one of four Charlestonians to sign the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, Heyward used the house as his residence while defending the city. When the British conquered Charleston in 1780, he was arrested and sent to prison in St. Augustine, leaving his wife and sister-in-law to live in the house.
Today, visitors can take guided tours of the Heyward-Washington Housethat is owned and operated by The Charleston Museum. Tours cover the history of the home, Thomas Heyward, and the visit of George Washington to Charleston in 1791.
In June 1776, a British force under the command of Commodore Sir Peter Parker and General Lord Cornwallis attempted an early invasion of Charleston. While Cornwallis landed on nearby Isle of Palms, Parker sailed his fleet to a position near a simple fort on Sullivan’s Island.
Colonel William Moultrie had been tasked with building a fort on Sullivan’s Island to protect from possible invasion. The only readily available building materials on the island were palmetto trees. When Parker opened fire on Fort Sullivan, the cannonballs would either bounce off the spongy palmetto logs or, at the very least, be absorbed. This led to a significant Patriot victory early in the Revolutionary War.
READ MORE: Exploring Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie National Historical Park in Charleston, SC
Nothing remains of the original palmetto log fort on Sullivan’s Island. In 1798, a new masonry fort was completed on the same site and named Fort Moultrie in honor of Colonel William Moultrie. Visitors to the national historical park can explore this history in a museum at the Visitor Center before exploring the fort itself.
Established in 1705, Middleton Place was the plantation home of the Middleton family. In 1742, Arthur Middleton was born in the plantation home and grew up outside Charleston. In 1776, Arthur succeeded his father as a delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, where he became one of four Charlestonians to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Visitors to Middleton Place can take a guided tour of the plantation house, explore the oldest landscaped gardens in the country, and learn about the history of the Middletons through centuries of influence.
Drayton Hall is the only surviving original plantation on the Ashley River and considered to be one of the greatest examples of Georgian Palladian architecture in the country. Built by John Drayton, in 1742, William Henry Drayton was born in the house. After receiving a proper English education, Drayton served as a Royal privy councilor in Charleston until he was unceremoniously replaced by an Englishman. This drove Drayton to support independence, and when South Carolina created its own government in 1775, he was appointed as the first chief justice.
READ MORE: Road Trip to Discover the Revolutionary War Across South Carolina
Visitors to Drayton Hall can take a self-guided walk through the gorgeous grounds surrounding the plantation house, a guided tour of the house, and browse through books and locally made arts and crafts at the Visitor Center.
In 1778, at the age of 21, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney joined the local militia to defend Charleston during the Revolutionary War. When the British captured the city in 1780, Pinckney was imprisoned and eventually banished to Philadelphia. In 1784, Pinckney was one of four delegates from South Carolina to attend the Constitutional Convention, where he wrote an early draft of the Constitution.
READ MORE: 27 National Park Sites to Learn About the American Revolutionary War
Not much remains of the 715-acre Snee Farm, where Pinckney spent a good deal of his childhood. Today, the few acres that remain are preserved as the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. A late 1800s farmhouse serves as the visitor center and museum where visitors can learn of the Pinckney family and the “Forgotten Founder” of the United States.
Hotels in downtown Charleston are pricey. Sometimes it’s worth the expenditure because of the location and amenities. I have always recommended Belmond Charleston Place, HarbourView Inn, and Embassy Suites because it’s a pink castle (seriously).
A little further up the peninsula along upper King Street is the Hyatt Place that is a really great place to stay for the money. I also recommend the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn nearby.
Just fifteen minutes from downtown, Mt. Pleasant hotels are within easy striking distance and will save considerable money. I recommend the Best Western, Hotel Indigo, and Holiday Inn Express. Each of these is located along Highway 17 near the end of the Ravenel Bridge.
In North Charleston, you’ll find lots of great hotels around the Tanger Outlet shopping center. North Charleston still has a pretty good size military population with a naval training center and Air Force base at the airport, so there are plenty of rooms. The Aloft, Quality Inn, and Hilton Garden are great places to stay.
Do you have a question about road trips? Travel gear? Do you want to correct one of my stories?
Use this form to send me an email. Be sure to include your name and email address. I typically respond within 24 hours.
I respond faster if you include a good riddle.
