With all there is to see and do in Charleston and the surrounding areas, you might quiz yourself about why you’d want to travel to the outskirts of Summerville to visit an old fort. Actually, there are a number of reasons to plan a trip over to Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site – and the old fort here is just one of them.
The site of old Dorchester in South Carolina is not only home to a historic fort, it's also a ghost town of its former self, a thriving Colonial trading town set in a u-shaped bend of the Ashley River.
The church served as a sanctuary for the trading town that quickly grew up around the house of worship. By the start of the Revolutionary War, Dorchester had nearly 40 houses. As for what happened to the rest of the church, the British would occupy Dorchester near the end of the war - and they burned the church on their way out of town. All that remains is this bell tower.
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Long before the start of the American Revolution, Dorchester saw the need to build a protective fort due to threats from the French.
But not before Fort Dorchester would fall under the command of the South's golden boy known as Francis Marion, who would command troops at the fort during the American Revolution.
Tabby is created by first burning oyster shells to create lime. Then the lime is mixed with sand, water, broken oyster shells, and ash to create a concrete-type of construction material.
It's said that by the start of the Revolutionary War, the residents of the town had abandoned it and set up house in nearby Summerville, where there was higher ground, less swampy conditions, and much less malaria.
Many of the homes here after the mass exodus of the town were pilfered for bricks and other building materials to construct new homes over in Summerville.
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If visiting at low tide, also be sure to look for the remains of an old log wharf visible along the Ashley River.
Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site is open year round, with hours that vary by season. In warmer months, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and in cooler seasons, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park charges a nominal fee for entrance. Learn more with a visit to the official website for South Carolina State Parks.
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