Fort Sumter

Famous as a Civil War battlefield twice over, this landmark has left an indelible mark in the collective consciousness of America. It was the turning point in the war when Union forces lost their foothold with their humiliating defeat in the 1861 battle. Four years later they finally retook the fort. This national monument is perhaps one of the best preserved battlegrounds of the Civil War. The tour starts with a nice ferry ride and a tour guide takes you around the grounds, the remaining structures, and the artillery rooms where old cannons still stand ready to fire.