Ninety Six National Historic Site

This part of the South Carolina backcountry was, in the eighteenth century, the homeland and hunting ground of the Cherokee, whose towns lay to the northwest in the mountains. The settlement that grew up here took its curious name from the belief that it stood ninety-six miles from the Cherokee town of Keowee, a rough measure along the old trading path that ran through this country.

By the 1700s Ninety Six had become an important crossroads and trading village, one of the westernmost outposts of colonial settlement, with a courthouse, jail, stores, and taverns serving the scattered farms and traders of the frontier. Its location on the routes into Cherokee territory made it strategically valuable, which is exactly why it would become a battleground when the Revolution came to the backcountry.

When the Revolutionary War spread into the South Carolina backcountry, Ninety Six became a strong Loyalist post, and the British and their Loyalist allies fortified it heavily, building the distinctive eight-pointed earthen Star Fort whose walls still stand. Its star shape was a deliberate piece of military engineering, letting defenders sweep every approach with crossing fire so no attacker could reach the walls unopposed.

In 1781 the Patriot general Nathanael Greene laid siege to the fort, in what became the longest field siege of the Revolution in the South. His men dug approach trenches toward the walls and even attempted a mine tunnel, and there was hard, close fighting, but the fort held out, and Greene finally withdrew when British reinforcements approached. Not long after, the British themselves abandoned and burned the post. The earthworks, siege trenches, and the traces of the mine can still be walked today, remarkably preserved in the quiet field.

A well-marked interpretive trail leads visitors across the historic ground, past the Star Fort, the reconstructed stockade fort, the siege lines, and the site of the vanished town, with markers explaining what happened at each spot. The walking is easy and level, and the openness of the field makes it simple to picture the lines of attack and defense.

The visitor center anchors a visit, with exhibits, artifacts, and a film that set out the story of the frontier town and the siege before you head out onto the ground. Because the site is off the main tourist routes, it is usually quiet, which only deepens the sense of standing alone with a piece of hard-fought history.

Beyond the battlefield, the site takes in fields, woods, and a creek, and its trails wind through Piedmont forest as well as the open historic ground. It is good, quiet country for a walk, and the mix of habitats brings deer, songbirds, and other wildlife to reward a watchful visitor.

Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons, with mild air, wildflowers, and turning leaves along the trails, and they are the best times to combine the walk with the history. Summer is hot on the open field, so early visits are wise, and winter is clear and quiet, the bare trees and low light lending the old earthworks a stark, evocative beauty.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.