Ninety Six National Historic Site – Greenwood County, South Carolina

In our country’s earliest days, colonists established a fortified settlement in Ninety Six, and it was a political and legal center for the entire northwest corner of the state. The name Ninety Six was in use as early as 1730 and probably referred to the mileage from the fort to the Cherokee nation’s capital of Koewee

Ninety Six, located in Greenwood County, is famous for its Revolutionary War history. The first land battle of the war was fought here during November of 1775. American forces quickly constructed a fort of wood and straw and dug in for a long fight. The British army was unable to oust the Patriot fighters from their post, and the battle eventually ended in a truce.

The British eventually fortified Ninety Six, and built a wall around the village in the shape of a star. This fort became known as the ‘Star Fort’ and was later overrun by American forces. Its ruins still stand today and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Many thanks to Larry Gleason of Aiken for submitting these pictures in November 2010.

See a picture from a Ninety Six National Historic Site war reenactment