What Is the Fort Frederick?
This is the oldest tabby fort in South Carolina!
What Makes It Historical?
The British built this fort between 1733 and 1735 to defend Beaufort against the Spanish, naming it Fort Prince Frederick after King George II’s son! It was a leaky fort that could only hold six soldiers at a time, so it was a good thing that Fort Frederick never got attacked in the 22 years it was in service!
The land surrounding Fort Frederick was sold to Captain John Joyner, who turned it into a cotton plantation. It stayed that way until 1861 when the Union Army captured Port Royal, and the area surrounding the Old Fort Plantation became the headquarters of the African American 1st South Carolina Regiment of Volunteers! This 550-strong regiment was assembled by U.S. Brigadier General Rufus Saxton at the place that would later be called Camp Saxton. They were some of the first Black men to enlist in the US Army! It was here on January 1, 1863 that the Emancipation Proclamation was read aloud for the first time on the Southern states!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the South Carolina Heritage Trust!
- Donate to Second Founding of America!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
601 Old Fort Rd
Port Royal, SC 29935
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The park is open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset!
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