You can't visit the Charleston Harbor without looking out and seeing the lonely place referred to as Castle Pinckney with its illustrious, and bloody, history. Originally built as a defensive fort before the War of 1812, Castle Pinckney was firmly in the Union's hands before the Civil War began. It isn't known how much of a role the fort played in the battle with it's sister fort,
Fort Sumter, but it did become the first Union fort to fall into Southern hands. Sadly, the fort is now in much disrepair. Because of the remote location of the island that houses Castle Pinckney, renovations are hard to complete. The island and the fort are now under ownership of the state of South Carolina who have several times tried to clean up the area. Castle Pinckney isn't open to the public, but the dreary, crumbling fort can be seen from the Charleston Harbor, a bleak reminder of days gone by.
