CHARLESTON
The Charleston Museum. America’s first museum (it opened in 1773) is marking the sesquicentennial with an exhibit titled “Threads of War,” featuring period civilian clothing and military uniforms. It also displays magazines, newspapers and diaries telling the story of life in the besieged city during the war. Details: (843) 722-2996; charlestonmuseum.org
Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve. This 14-acre site on James Island commemorates the June 16, 1862, Battle of Secessionville, in which Confederate troops under the command of Col. Thomas Lamar repulsed a Union assault on Charleston. Despite being outnumbered three-to-one, Lamar’s troops saved the city from the Union’s only direct attempt at occupation. A monument to the confederate soldiers and a short, self-guided trail takes visitors through what is now a Heritage Trust site owned by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Details: (803) 803-734-3893; dnr.sc.gov
The United Daughters of the Confederacy Museum. Located in the Market Head Building on Meeting Street, this museum features the Secession Flag, the first Confederate national flag to fly over the captured Fort Sumter. It also displays uniforms and other artifacts from the war. Details: (843) 723-1541.
The Old Slave Mart Museum. Housed in the only former slave auction building still standing in South Carolina—human beings were auctioned there until 1863—the museum tells the gritty history of the American slave trade. Details: (843) 958-6467; charlestoncity.info
Magnolia Cemetery. This classic Southern cemetery, complete with a winding entrance and Spanish moss dripping from stately trees, is the final resting place of more than 2,000 Civil War veterans, including five Confederate generals, 14 signers of the Ordinance of Secession and the eight crewmen of the H.L. Hunley. Details: (843) 722-8638.
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THE LOWCOUNTRY
Beaufort National Cemetery. President Abraham Lincoln authorized the creation of the cemetery in 1863. It holds the graves of more than 7,500 Civil War soldiers, primarily from the Union side, as well as veterans of every conflict since. The war dead buried there include 19 members of the all-black Massachusetts 55th Infantry, who were reinterred there with full military honors after their remains were found on Folly Island in 1987. Details: (843) 524-3925; cem.va.gov
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COLUMBIA
South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum. The Relic Room shares roof space with the State Museum and, as its name implies, features an extensive display of artifacts from the Civil War. Special exhibits are scheduled through the next four years to mark the sesquicentennial. This year’s exhibits include “Bold Banners: Early Civil War Flags of South Carolina,” opening in May, and “Religion in the Civil War,” opening in September. The museum’s permanent exhibits also cover South Carolina’s military contributions from the American Revolution all the way through to the War on Terror. Details: (803) 737-8095; crr.sc.gov
The South Carolina State House. The S.C. State House still bears the marks of Sherman’s visit. Brass stars on the walls facing Cayce mark where cannon balls hit the building while it was still under construction, and the grounds also are home to several Civil War monuments and statues. The State House gift shop has self-guided tour brochures and guided tours and is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details: (803) 734-2430; discoversouthcarolina.com
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. The zoo’s property along the banks of the Saluda River includes remnants of the bridge that Union troops burned as they occupied the capital and the ruins of a textile mill that produced Confederate uniforms. A small cabin serves as a museum about the site. Details: (803) 779-8717; riverbanks.org
Battle for Columbia Re-Enactment. Re-enactors in blue and grey unite at the Battle for Columbia set for May 7–8, 2011 in the Sandy Run community in Lexington County. Demonstrations, historical talks and period dress will be among the attractions at the event organized by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Details: (803) 781-1836; wadehamptoncamp.org
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PEE DEE REGION
Bloomsbury Inn. This antebellum home on Lyttleton Street in Camden is now one of the top bed-and-breakfasts in the country, but during the war it was the plantation home of Confederate Gen. James Chesnut and famed Civil War diarist Mary Boykin Chestnut. Details: (803) 432-5858; bloomsburyinn.com
The Jacob Kelly House. Located on Highway 12 in the Kelleytown community near Hartsville, the house was occupied March 2-3, 1865, by Union scouting parties. Today it is operated by the Darlington County Historical Commission to mark the site “where the Yankees camped among the Rebels.” It’s open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month from March through December. Details: (843) 398-4710; sccottontrail.org
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THE UPSTATE
Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site. Located near Union, Rose Hill Plantation was the home to South Carolina’s “Secession Governor,” William H. Gist. Visitors can enjoy tours of the elegant home, including a period ballroom, admire the beautiful rose gardens and explore the other original plantation buildings. For details: (864) 427-5966; southcarolinaparks.com
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