Ninety Six National Historic Site

Walk Where Battles Were Fought & Heroes Were Forged! Here settlers struggled against the harsh backcountry to survive, Cherokee Indians hunted and fought to keep their land, two towns and a trading post were formed and abandoned to the elements, and two Revolutionary War battles that claimed over 100 lives took place here. The National Park Service operates this frontier settlement and Revolutionary War battle site with its historic Star Fort. The site features a visitor center, interpretive trail, periodic archaeological digs and insightful restorations. Ninety Six National Historic Site saw the first land battle of the Revolution in the South Nov. 19-21, 1775, when Maj. Andrew Williamson's force of Patriots was besieged by Loyalists commanded by Major Joseph Robinson. In 1780 Ninety Six fell into the hands of the British, who fortified the town extensively and made it one of their major outposts. From May 22-June 19, 1781, the Loyalist garrison under Lt. Col. John Harris Cruger held out against Gen. Nathanael Greene's entire force of Continentals, until Lord Rawdon marched with 2,000 British troops to the relief of the post. Ninety Six is one of the best preserved battle sites of the Revolution: the Star Redoubt has survived intact for 200 years, and archaeologists have uncovered the remains of other parts of the fortifications.