Battle of Sullivans Island
The Sullivan’s Island Town Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to authorize the site at Battery Capron, commonly referred to as “The Mound,” to be used by SC250 to construct a partial replica of the 1776 Battle of Sullivan’s Island fort.
The fort replica will be built, maintained and removed entirely at the expense of SC250 Charleston. The town estimates its own related costs at approximately $20,600, which will fund improvements that can continue serving the community after the fort is dismantled.
Planned town expenditures include:
- Two ADA spaces: $8,000
- Gravel walkways: $5,000
- Driveway gate: $2,000
- Security cameras: $600
- Electrical conduit: $5,000
Town Administrator Henderson said many of the upgrades will provide lasting benefits beyond the 15-month life of the exhibit.
“Running the conduit to the top of the mound will allow events to take place there,” he said. “I think it’s money well spent.”
Parking capacity was a central topic during discussions. The Public Facilities Committee identified approximately 250 to 275 parking spaces in the surrounding area, including on-street parking, Battery Gadsden, Battery Thomson, town-owned property and seasonal use of the elementary school lot during the summer months.
Mayor Patrick O’Neil emphasized that the exhibit will primarily attract daytime visitors.
“This is going to be a daytime activity, not a nighttime one, so we shouldn’t be competing with dinner-time restaurant parking,” he said. “We’ll have to regulate visiting hours anyway due to darkness.”
Safety concerns regarding the stability of The Mound were also considered. During the Public Facilities Committee meeting on Feb. 9, an initial interpretation of a geotechnical analysis by Terracon indicated The Mound can support the replica structure. Engineers recommended undercutting three feet of soil and replacing it with geogrid-reinforced compacted aggregate beneath the fort footings.
The design will be semi-pervious, functioning more like a deck than solid concrete to allow for stormwater drainage and avoid worsening pooling beneath The Mound. Vehicle traffic will be restricted, with pedestrian-only access to the top and a gate-controlled system for ADA vehicle access.
Mayor O’Neil expressed confidence in the project’s purpose.
“We’re celebrating a very significant event in the history of the island, the history of the state and the history of the country,” he said. “I think we should be proud of that.”
Since January, Town Council members have received 10 emails supporting the project and 16 opposing it. One resident spoke against the project during the February council meeting.
“We have our national park and visitor center. Why isn’t that good enough?” he said. “We want to invite as many extra people to the island when we’ve got a wonderful park less than a mile away.”
Councilmember Jody Latham said her personal interactions with constituents have been “overwhelmingly positive — about two to one in favor.”
“I’ll vote based on what I’ve heard from the people who have spoken to me,” she said.
Other council members echoed support for the fort’s educational and historical benefits.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people when they come to this island to not just see it as a beach, not just see it as a place they pass through and grab dinner, but see it in the context of the importance it has to the founding of the country,” Councilmember Justin Novak said. “There is an opportunity here to educate people about really how special our community is. Maybe they’d treat it with a little more respect when they get here.”
Councilmember Ned Higgins also voiced support.
“We’re guardians of the history on this island,” he said. “I’m willing to put up with the annoyance that extra traffic might cause for the cause of displaying our history.”
The sole opposing vote came from Councilmember Melanie Burkhold.
“I love my country, and it is a great honor for me to be sitting in front of you as your representative, but I have to move forward with opposing this for various reasons,” she said.
Mayor O’Neil noted that increased visitation to the island is inevitable as part of the national semiquincentennial, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, and that Charleston is one of four primary locations for related events.
“There’s no denying there’s going to be more people coming here in the next two or three years,” O’Neil said. “The island’s going to see a huge bump in visitation, and I don’t think the fort will add much to it.”
The motion passed 6-1, with O’Neil and Councilmembers Novak, Schroeder, Higgins, Hubbard and Latham voting in favor.