Trail Sites

Liberty Trail Historic Sites

Discover the myriad of sites across The Liberty Trail where significant cultural and Revolutionary history unfolded. From military ruins to meticulously restored mansions, immerse yourself in the footsteps of our nation’s history-makers.

States of Interest:
South Carolina
Battlefield | Historic Site
Moncks Corner, SC

Fort Fair Lawn was a British outpost in 1780–1781 and was the target of a daring Patriot raid on November 17, 1781, and abandoned by the British a...

South Carolina
Historic Site | Fort/Outpost
Charleston, SC

One of the many forts that dotted the landscape around Charleston, Patriots seized this fortification and raised the Moultrie flag, which bears...

South Carolina
Battlefield | Fort/Outpost
Gaffney, SC

A station constructed during high tensions with the Cherokee, this fortification was utilized by Loyalists until July of 1780.

South Carolina
Battlefield | Historic Site
Summerton, SC

After an eight-day siege, this strategic outpost fell to the Americans, who used an ingenious structure called Maham’s Tower to fire down into the...

South Carolina
National Park | Historic Site
Huger, SC

The Francis Marion is a forest literally steeped in history. Marion, dubbed the “Swamp Fox” by the British troops whose supply lines he disrupted with...

South Carolina
Historic Site
Pineville, SC

Francis Marion was a skilled military leader during the American Revolutionary War, known for his guerilla tactics and strategic maneuvers in the...

South Carolina
Historic Site
Sullivan's Island, SC

William Moultrie died in 1805 and was buried in the family cemetery. In 1977, his remains were moved to Sullivan's Island within Fort Moultrie.

South Carolina
Historic Site
Gaffney, SC
South Carolina
State/County Park | Historic House
McClellanville, SC

This 18th-century plantation home, on the grounds of the Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, served as a place of refuge for Francis Marion who...

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States of Interest

Liberty Trail History Makers

The Revolutionary War was a war unlike any other — one of ideas and ideals, that shaped “the course of human events. Explore the history and personalities from this pivotal time in American history.
Biography

In 1779, after a stalemate in the north, Cornwallis went south as second in command to Sir Henry Clinton. Clinton captured Charleston in May 1780. Cornwallis pressed on to defeat General Horatio Gates at Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780.

Biography

Johann Ewald, a Hessian captain, served in several significant Revolutionary War battles, including White Plains, Bound Brook, and the failed attack on Fort Mercer. He later fought at Yorktown, where he surrendered with the British forces. His detailed wartime diary and maps provide invaluable insights into his experiences in America.

Biography

On June 28, 1776, the British attacked Sullivan’s Island. Against impossible odds and outnumbered 2,200 British troops to 435 soldiers within the fort, Moultrie successfully prevented land and sea invasions of Charleston. The British retreated to New York and would not return to South Carolina until 1780.

Biography

Robert Kirkwood served at major battles of the Revolution, including Monmouth, Camden, and Cowpens, where Kirkwood led his Delawareans to play a decisive role in Daniel Morgan’s victory. Kirkwood went on to lead his men at Guilford Courthouse, Hobkirk Hill, Ninety-Six, and Eutaw Springs.

Exploring History
We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
Historic Site | Gardens & Grounds
Mt Pleasant, SC

Boone Hall was influential in the history of South Carolina. Explore the house and grounds of this Colonial Plantation, as well as a live presentation of the Gullah Culture adapted by African slaves.

Battlefield
McConnells, SC

Huck’s Defeat occurred on July 12, 1780. The battleground is on the site of Historic Brattonsville, a former colonial plantation.

Battlefield
Johnsonville, SC

Once a simple ferry site, it gained prominence after Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox," mustered the Williamsburg militia into his ranks in August of 1780

Battlefield
Hollywood, SC

The Patriots launch a misguided attack on British troops retreating from an aborted raid on Charleston

Battlefield
Moncks Corner, SC

The Patriots Take Provisions and Prisoners in a Surprise Attack on a British Supply Depot.

Battlefield | National Park
Ninety Six, SC

The site of the 1775 Battle of Williamson's Fort and a critical outpost for the British after they captured Charleston in 1780, the colonial town of Ninety Six was also the setting of a 28-day siege in 1781. Here, Nathanael Greene’s Patriots attacked the heart of Loyalist commander John Cruger’s defenses — the Star Fort.

Historic Site | Historic House
Charleston, SC

This historic house museum was the home of Thomas Heyward, Jr., one of four South Carolina signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Battlefield
Johnsonville, SC

Known as an extremely important ferry crossing in the Colonial Period, Marion fortified this ferry and frequently utilized it to quickly move his troops to lay ambushes

Battlefield | Historic Site
Summerton, SC

After an eight-day siege, this strategic outpost fell to the Americans, who used an ingenious structure called Maham’s Tower to fire down into the fort and trap the enemy.

Battlefield
Sullivan's Island, SC

Treacherous waters and Patriot fire foil a British attack on Charleston Harbor

Historic Site | Battlefield
Spartanburg, SC

When Jane Black Thomas overheard Loyalists plotting a surprise attack on her son's militia camp, she rode nearly 60 miles through dangerous territory to warn him. Her daring ride gave Colonel John Thomas Jr. and his Spartan Regiment time to prepare an ambush that repelled the attackers — fueling Patriot momentum toward the war-changing Battle of King's Mountain just three months later.

Historic Site | Historic House
Clemson, SC

Located near the famous Treaty of Hopewell site, the Hopewell Plantation house was the Pickens' family home and later served as the South Carolina Governor's Mansion.