The Fort Sumter that you see today bears little resemblance to the imposing, three-tiered brick fort of 1861. The fort's present appearance is the result of more than 100 years of change. Bombardment, reconstruction, and renovation have reshaped the fort and extended its life.
By the end of the Civil War in 1865, heavy shelling had reduced Fort Sumter to ruins. The fort was partially rebuilt in the 1870s, but many remnants of the original structure remain and can be seen throughout the fort today.
Battery Huger, the massive concrete structure in the center of the parade ground, was completed in 1899 in response to the Spanish-American War. Changes to Battery Huger kept pace with modern technology and Fort Sumter continued as part of the U.S. coastal defense system until the close of World War II.
1 Left face casement ruins
2 Left flank casement ruins
3 Right face
4 Right flank
5 Right gorge angle
6 Sally port
7 Parade ground
8 Union garrison monument
9 Powder magazine
10 Officers' quarters ruins
11 Enlisted men's barracks ruins
12 Esplanade
13 Granite wharf remains
14 12-pounder mountain howitzer
15 Battery Huger
16 Museum
17 Restrooms
For Your Safety
While every effort has been made to make your visit safe and enjoyable you must remain alert and cautious in all areas of the fort. Please be especially careful on uneven surfaces and stairways.
Do not go beyond chain or rail barriers. To help preserve the fort, we ask that you do not climb or sit on cannons, cannon carriages, or brickwork. Do not disturb or remove artifacts.