Support the Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society.
Discover the fascinating history of Castle Pinckney, the harbor fort that was constructed around 1809 to defend the City of Charleston prior to the War of 1812. Called Charleston’s “Silent Sentinel,” the fort’s strategic location allowed anyone to command the city and the busy wharves along East Bay Street facing the Cooper River. So, it became an important chess piece in the secession turmoil of 1832 and 1850, and in the months leading up to the shelling of Fort Sumter on Apr. 12, 1861. Read Article
Watch Guided Tour of Castle Pinckney.
Led by Co-Authors of Holding CHARLESTON by the Bridle (2024), the first book on the fort.
Want to Learn More?
From the history of Castle Pinckney to the activities of the Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society, you’ll find everything you need to know on this website. Please join, donate or shop to support the Society in its effort to save Castle Pinckney. For more information, use the form at the bottom of this page to contact us.
Castle Guardians Use New Dock for First Time to Work at Castle Pinckney
June 20, 2026
Charleston, S.C. ─ Castle Guardians used the newly-constructed dock at Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor for the first time on Saturday, June 20, to access the fort and conduct a workday at the historic site.
“I’m happy to report that the dock made it much easier and safer for us to enter and exit the fort, and to conduct another successful workday,” said Matthew Locke, who led the Castle Guardians, all of whom were volunteers. “I’m also happy to report that we accomplished an important task once we completed our work and before we left the fort at the end of our workday.
“We lowered the Charleston 9 Memorial Flag, which the Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society had flown over Castle Pinckney during the past two weeks to commemorate the tragic loss of nine Charleston firefighters in 2007,” Locke added. “We then replaced it with a South Carolina State flag that was custom-made to match the historically accurate design adopted for the flag by the State of South Carolina on January 28, 1861.” More
Contact Us
Follow Us on Facebook
Save Castle Pinckney!
© 2026 Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society ● PO Box 20284, Charleston, SC 29413