Fort Sumter is an historic building from the American Civil War on Sullivan's Island, off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The Fort Sumter monument is a National Park, and marks the site of the first conflict of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. The monument is open to the public, and can be accessed by ferry from Charleston.

As a travel destination, Fort Sumter features wayside exhibits that interpret historical resources and landmarks, as well as a museum that explains the history of events leading up to the Civil War conflict and the fort's role throughout the war's history. Park rangers offer guided tours of the site.http://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm The fort also has a large collection of 19th-century seacoast artillery.http://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/index.htm The site has over 280,000 annual visitors.http://www.charlestoncvb.com/media/news_article.html?id=567

Fort Sumter was constructed in the 1830s by the U.S. Army on Sullivan's Island, a man-made landmass. The fort had walls that were 50 feet high and 12 feet thick.http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h98.html The fort's most famous moment came in 1861. It was under the command of Major Robert Anderson, and was one of the few American military bases in the south that had not been taken over by Confederate troops. By April of 1861, the troops had run down to a six-week supply of food. Abraham Lincoln decided to resupply the fort, and sent a message to the South Carolina Governor Francis Pickens that he would send a ship loaded with food.http://www.us-civilwar.com/sumter.htm

Pickens ordered General P.G.T. Beauregard to force the Union troops to evacuate the fort, and on April 10, 1861, Beauregard delivered the message to Anderson. Anderson refused, and the Confederate forces began a sustained bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12th. The Union troops were unable to match their adversaries' firepower. Anderson surrendered the fort the next day at 2:30 P.M, and his troops were allowed to return to the Union. The conflict marked the beginning of America's four-year Civil War.http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/sc001.htm

The Fort Sumter Monument is accessible by ferry from nearby Charleston, South Carolina. Travelers to Charleston can visit the Fort Sumter Visitor's Education Center, which provides exhibits explaining the events that catalyzed the Civil War. It is located at 340 Concord Street in Charleston. The monument itself has a museum, book store, wayside exhibits, and walking tours. Detailed information for vacations and tours can be found on the monument's website.http://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/index.htm

• Location: 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482

• Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Phone number: (843) 883-3123