Fort Howell is typical of the earthen forts constructed during the Civil War by both Confederate and Union armies. The shift from earlier brick and stone masonry forts resulted from advances in weaponry as the Civil War approached. Rifled cannons, with greater range, power, and accuracy than earlier smoothbore cannons, could easily breach older masonry fort walls, as seen at Fort Pulaski. The dirt walls of Civil War earthen forts could better absorb incoming rifled artillery shells and protect the men and weapons inside. Fort Howell's preservation is largely due to the Greenwood Development Corporation, which owned the property containing the fort. After archaeologists revealed the significance of the property, Greenwood deeded Fort Howell to the Hilton Head Island Land Trust to protect it in perpetuity. It had been all but forgotten in the history of the island, but its significance has been appreciated with the recognition it has received since that time.