Places to Visit Associated with Thomas Sumter & the American Revolution
1. Thomas Sumter Interpretative Center
A new permeant exhibit at the Sumter Museum that focuses on Thomas Sumter’s life both during the war and before and after it.
“Visit Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island to experience 171 years of seacoast defense from 1776 to 1947. Part of the Fort Sumter National Historic Park controlled by the NPS.”
“Delve into the founding struggle for liberty by walking the American Revolutionary War battlefield of Huck’s Defeat . . .Featuring more than 30 historic structures from the 1760s to the late-19th century, the site provides visitors with an opportunity to see the evolution of Southern culture and architecture . . .”
4. Hanging Rock
“The Hanging Rock Battleground park, maintained by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and is located two miles south of Heath Springs, occupies a portion of the 1780 battlefield. A stone marker, on a trail next to a stack of large boulders just off Hanging Rock Road, describes the battle there. Further north along Flat Rock Road near Hanging Rock Creek is the portion of the battlefield where the British camps were Attacked.”
Historic marker reads, “3 miles N. on the south side of the Tyger River . . . November 20, 1780, Gen. Thomas Sumter commanded the American patriots who repulsed Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton’s British forces. Sumter was wounded.”
“Stretched along the Catawba River on the SC fall line, Landsford Canal State Park is home to the well-preserved remains of the canal system . . . The Lands Ford crossing . . . Both British and American troops under Cornwallis and Sumter crossed here. This area is home to one of the largest populations of rocky shoals spider lilies in the world. Canoe, hike, & more!”
7. Cayce Museum
“The Cayce Historical Museum exhibits include an extensive Native American artifact collection of over 8,000 items, colonial and American Revolutionary War objects, Civil War objects, an exhibit on the locks on the Congaree River, and an exhibit on the famous Doolittle raiders of World War II who trained in the area before their historic mission.”
In an area as flat as the Atlantic Coastal Plain, a 30-foot hill will catch most people's attention. The fact that it was once an Indian ceremonial and burial site and later a British fort makes it a must-see attraction in the Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
“This wooded area in Stateburg, known as Sumter Memorial Park, contains the graves of General Thomas Sumter and his family. It was once part of Home House Plantation, owned by General Sumter.”
10. Southern Rev. War Institute
“The Southern Revolutionary War Institute (SRWI) was established on July 7, 2006. Utilizing the Historical Center of York County’s library, archives, and historical collections, the Institute fills a void in Revolutionary War studies and scholarly resources, which traditionally have concentrated on the Northern campaigns of the American Revolution.”
Other American Revolution Related Sites to Visit in South Carolina
11. Andrew Jackson State Park, Lancaster, SC
“Andrew Jackson State Park combines history, art and community activities into a setting that has made it one of the state’s most popular parks. Favorite features include living history programs, a museum and interactive exhibits that chronicle Jackson’s boyhood in the South Carolina backcountry.”
12. Camden Revolutionary War Site & Camden Battlefield, Camden, SC
“The Revolutionary War Visitor Center at Camden tells the story of the real turning point of the Revolution – The Southern Campaign. Discover Friends and Foes of the cause as well as the hard-fought battles by determined patriots with their hearts set on liberty.”
13. Kings Mountain National Military Park, Blacksburg, SC
“Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success." The battle of Kings Mountain, fought October 7th, 1780, was an important American victory during the Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, SC in May 1780. The park preserves the site of this important battle.”
14. Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Cross Anchor, SC
“Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site preserves, protects, and interprets the site of the August 19, 1780 American Revolutionary War battle of Musgrove’s Mill. This battle between 200 Patriot militia and a joint force of 200 Loyalist militia and 300 British Provincial troops was a surprising Patriot victory and a major turning point during the Revolutionary War.
15. The Star Fort National Historic Site, Ninety Six, SC
“Walk Where Battles Were Fought and Heroes Were Forged
Settlers struggled against the harsh backcountry to survive. Cherokee Indians hunted and fought to keep their land. Two towns and a trading post were formed then abandoned to the elements. And two Revolutionary War battles claimed over 100 lives. Come discover the 18th century history of South Carolina.”
16. Cowpens National Battlefield, Gaffney, SC
“A pasturing area at the time of the battle, this Revolutionary War site commemorates the place where Daniel Morgan and his army turned the flanks of Banastre Tarleton's British army. This classic military tactic, known as a double envelopment, secured a patriot victory.
17. Eutaw Springs Battlefield, Eutawville, SC
“While a large part of the battle site is under the water of Lake Marion, this tree-shaded spot commemorates one of the last battles of the American Revolution in SC.”
18. Walnut Grove Plantation, Roebuck, SC
“Walnut Grove Plantation recounts how free and enslaved people settled the South Carolina Backcountry, fought for independence, and built a new nation.”
19. Hampton Plantation, McClellanville, SC
“Located in the southern Santee Delta region, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site is home to the remote, final remnants of a colonial-era rice plantation. The plantation now serves as an interpretive site for the system of slavery and rice cultivation in the region from the colonial period through the end of the Civil War.”