Hiking Through History

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

In 1780, after the British occupied Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, the Brewton house was used as the British headquarters for Henry Clinton.

A formidable fortress on the banks of the Hudson and Lake Champlain, this stone bastion was the source of Henry Knox's artillery in the opening years of the Revolution. Today, it's a hallmark of living history with interpreters being found at every corner.

Built in 1767, the Chowan County Courthouse is one of the oldest operating courthouses in the country and still serves the North Carolina Supreme Court to this day.

With a rotating collection of artifacts and interactive exhibits, the Cherokee County Museum has something for all ages and interests.

The plantation & gardens bears witness to 350 years of American history. Learn about the Europeans who colonized South Carolina, and the enslaved people who worked in the rice fields and gardens.

Built in 1792 by Revolutionary War officer William Lenoir, Fort Defiance preserves the homestead that rose near the site of an earlier frontier fort and reflects the legacy of one family for nearly two centuries.

A small victory for the Continental Army, the Battle of Paulus Hook won the reassurances of the Patriots and compelled many to continue the fight for independence.

Home of Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer, who died of wounds at the Battle of Oriskany, one of the bloodiest of the war.

The mansion once housed George Washington, who utilized it as his headquarters in the freezing winter of 1779.

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.