Fort Howell - 1864

Fort Howell, an excellent example of the defensive earthworks common to the Civil War era, was constructed by Union forces occupying Hilton Head Island and was one of the final fortifications built during the war. The men of the 32nd U.S. Colored Infantry Volunteers labored to complete the fort in the fall of 1864. Its purpose was to protect Mitchelville, a freedman's town of newly emancipated slaves, which lay just down the road from this spot. Fort Howell was deeded to the Hilton Head Island Land Trust in 1993 to ensure its public preservation as a historic site for current and future generations to enjoy.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina · United States