Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter | Charleston | South Carolina

 

This is the parade ground in the middle of Fort Moultrie, and the photo below is the entrance to the fort, which is a National Monument on Sullivan's Island.

 

 

There were multiple cannons on display, aimed at all areas.  This fort was in use during the Revolutionary War in 1776, then the Civil War, World War I and World War II.  Some of the World War II influence can be seen around the fort.

 

 

 

 

 

This building is a more recent addition to the fort, since it was in use in World War II.  Outside the building, there was a machine to send lighted signals to troops on the water.  Both the building above and this signal machine are from World War II. 

 

  

  

 

I thought the next photos were interesting, showing how ammunition arrived at the fort.  The crates in the top photo are marked 1907.  The barrels in the second photo are marked 1834.

 

  

This shows a direct hit during the Civil War, and is why fort walls are always very thick.

 

Another fort in the area is Fort Sumter. 

 

Fort Sumter is quite far out in the Charleston Harbor, there was a large crowd visiting the fort that morning, so we were all brought out on the tour boat you see above.  No dolphins to be seen, but it sure was good to get on a boat again.

 

 

This is the entrance to the fort itself, which was 3 stories tall when it was built, although only one story has been restored.  Building on this fort started in 1829 and was not yet complete when South Carolina seceded from the Union.  Their first battle was in 1861, another was started in 1863 when the Union tried to overtake the fort.  By 1865, the fort was reduced to piles of rubble, although still in Confederate hands. 

 

If you look to the right of this next photo, you'll see a hole where the fort was struck by a round from the opposing army. 

 

 

 Looking out from the fort, they would have had a good view in all directions, especially with 3 stories. 

 

 

 

 

Wupatki National Monument, Arizona

 

Remains of pueblos in this area date back to about 1000.  By the time the volcanos in the area stopped erupting, these people had moved on to another region.  During the time they inhabited this area, they built pueblos to live in, using the red rock that is found in this area. 

 

 

The construction of these pueblos is impressive, some were three stories tall.  Large boulders were incorporated into walls, depending on the terrain.  After all these years, with weather and vandalism, there is quite a bit left of these structures.

 



 

 

The photo below shows a large area that has been reconstructed, probably a meeting area for the community. 

 

One of the pueblos included a large open area that had remnants of walls that were rounded in shape, to enclose the open area.   It is thought that this area was for socializing and working on projects, such as pottery making.

 

 

This little guy was sitting in the middle of the trail when I was leaving.  He let me take a few pictures of him and then I got this shot from the other side.  Colorful little guy, and seemingly unafraid, he probably knows he can outrun me.

 

 

Some of the pueblos were miles away from this main area, and built on the edges of a small canyon, which was probably a water source at the time.