Fort Dorchester Ruins represent the remains of Colonial Dorchester, a major trading settlement that flourished on the Ashley River near Summerville, South Carolina, from 1697 until the Revolutionary War. The fort was constructed in 1757 from tabby, an oyster shell-based composite material, along with a powder magazine to defend against feared French invasion. Notable South Carolina military leaders including Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter were stationed here during the Revolution. The site today includes the tabby fort ruins, an 18th-century Anglican Church bell tower, and remnants of a colonial wharf, offering insight into early American military and settlement history.
