What was Fort Motte?

Fort Motte was a temporary military outpost in what is now South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War. Later, it was considered as a possible location for the capitol for the newly-formed state of South Carolina (before Columbia was chosen).

The "fort" was created from a recently-built plantation home of one of the Motte family, whose business was located in Charleston, South Carolina. The site is near a strategic river crossing of the Congaree River used by early traders. The Cherokee Path is nearby. It is also roughly in the area of an early town (1735) known as Amelia Town, South Carolina. There were several other less well-known forts in the area. Before the "forts" were established, there were sites which served as trading posts. Before the trading began, there were hunting grounds.

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History, the South Caroliniana Library, and the University of South Carolina have the earliest extant maps for this area.

In 1781 General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion captured the location after the Siege of Fort Motte