The name “Fort Johnson” is familiar to nearly every resident of the Charleston area, especially those on James Island who live on or near the scenic Fort Johnson Road. Hundreds of people work and study every day at the NOAA’s Hollings Marine Laboratory and Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, the College of Charleston’s Grice Marine Laboratory, MUSC’s Marine Biomedecine and Environmental Sciences Center, and SCDNR’s Marine Resources Research Institute, all of which are located on the grounds of Fort Johnson. But how many people know anything about the history of the old fort itself, which was dismantled more than a century ago? Sadly, few remember that construction on Fort Johnson started at Windmill Point on James Island three hundred years ago—in the year 1708.

Fort Johnson was designed and built in 1708 by Huguenot refugees to protect the English colony of South Carolina from attack by Spanish and French forces. It suffered damage from numerous storms and was entirely rebuilt in 1759. In September 1775 the fort was captured by South Carolina patriots at the beginning American Revolution. In the 1790s Fort Johnson was again rebuilt and again destroyed by storms during the War of 1812. The site was fortified during the Civil War and occupied by Confederate forces until 1865. After the war, the remnants of the fort were allowed to decay as the site became used for other purposes, including a quarantine station for immigrants.

To mark the 300th anniversary of the construction of Fort Johnson, the Charleston Archive and the Mayor’s Walled City Task Force will be presenting a free program at the main branch of the Charleston County Public Library to raise public awareness of this site’s rich history. On Thursday, December 11th 2008, Dr. Nic Butler, manager of the Charleston Archive and historian for the Task Force, will provide an illustrated overview of the fort’s history, and archaeologist Carl Steen, of the Diachronic Research Foundation, will discuss his recent investigations at this important site. Please join us!

fort_johnson_flyerThursday, 11 December 2008
6:30 p.m.
Charleston County Public Library Auditorium
68 Calhoun Street