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Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, Summerville, SC

Photo: Lazyksaw, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sightseeing

Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site

Ruins of a 1697 trading town on the Ashley River, featuring a tabby fort, a brick bell tower, and an old log wharf.

300 State Park RD, Summerville, SC 29485 · Summerville, SC

About Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site

Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site preserves the remains of a trading town that grew along the Ashley River inland from colonial Charleston. Founded in 1697, the settlement declined and was abandoned when the Revolutionary War began, leaving only a few original structures standing. Visitors can see a fort built from tabby, an oyster-shell concrete, which is considered one of the best-preserved examples of its kind in the country. The brick bell tower of St. George's Anglican Church remains standing nearby, and a log wharf becomes visible during low tide. An interpretive trail with kiosks and exhibits explains how the village once looked. Archaeologists continue digging on the 325-acre property, adding to the picture of daily life in colonial South Carolina.

  • #colonial history
  • #tabby fort
  • #archaeology
  • #bell tower
  • #wharf

What's around here?

The closest stops to Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Middleton Place

    $25–$50

    Stroll the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States, tour the house museum and visit the stableyards on the Ashley River.

    4.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

    $25–$50

    Walk centuries-old gardens of azaleas, camellias and live oaks along the Ashley River, then tour the house.

    7.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Drayton Hall

    $25–$50

    Tour an 18th-century Palladian plantation house on the Ashley River, then explore its grounds, gallery and cemetery.

    7.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Sports & Outdoors

    Givhans Ferry State Park

    Under $25

    Lowcountry state park on the Edisto River with cabins, campsites, trails, and river access.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors

  • Shopping

    Citadel Mall

    Check prices

    Regional shopping center in Charleston, South Carolina, with retailers, restaurants, and entertainment options.

    13 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Sports & Outdoors

    Cypress Gardens

    Under $25

    Historic Lowcountry garden and swamp attraction in Moncks Corner, open to visitors since 1932.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Sports & Outdoors

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