South Carolina has a long, rich and continuing relationship with the sea and waterways for nutritional, commercial, naval, and recreational pursuits since prehistoric times to the present. The following internet resources provide a glimpse of these diverse past and present connections to the maritime heritage of the state. These websites can also serve for planning a maritime heritage themed visit to South Carolina. Explore some of South Carolina’s relationships with the water through these links: Historic Port Settlements: Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site encompasses the site where British settlers arrived from Barbados and established the first permanent European colony in the Carolinas in 1670. The park also includes a replica of the ship that brought the colonists to the new colony.  Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site is at the site of the town of Dorchester, which flourished from 1697 through the Revolutionary War, and located on the banks of the Ashley River just above Charleston. Park archaeologists conduct ongoing research of the town through excavation and interpretation.  Fortifications: Fort Sumter National Monument and Fort Moultrie commemorates the first American victory over the British Navy in 1776 at Fort Moultrie and the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter. The two forts also contain remnants of late 19th century coastal fortifications associated with the Spanish-American War. Canals: Old Santee Canal Park commemorates South Carolina's natural resources and emphasizes the historical significance of the Santee Canal built in the early 1800s. Landsford Canal State Park is centered on the best preserved of numerous 19th-century South Carolina river canals, and retains remnants of all its major structural features.   Lighthouses: The Morris Island Lighthouse, now surrounded by water due to erosion, stands just west of Charleston Harbor. The lighthouse is now owned by Save The Light, Inc. for 99 years to coordinate the stabilization, erosion control and restoration of the lighthouse and to raise the necessary funds for that work. Hunting Island State Park is an historic 19th-century lighthouse is Hunting Island’s most popular landmark, and where visitors can climb to the top for a spectacular view of the coastline. The lighthouse and its complex are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Lighthousefriends.com site contains photographs, descriptions, travel directions, and GPS coordinates for lighthouses in the United States. Choose South Carolina to learn more about the history of several lighthouses in South Carolina. Civil War vessels: H.L. Hunley, a Confederate submarine that sank the USS Housatonic during the American Civil War, was recovered in 2000 and now undergoing analysis and conservation by The Friends of the Hunley at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston. The Berkeley Museum traces the county’s history back 12,000 years, and also exhibits a replica of the semi-submersible CSS David, built at nearby Stoney Landing, that attacked the USS Ironsides off Charleston Harbor. Natural and Agricultural products: Hampton Plantation State Historic Site is located on a creek off the North Santee River, and during the 18th and 19th centuries was a working rice plantation. Interpretive programming at this site focuses on the Lowcountry rice culture and plantation system that shaped the lives of Hampton’s residents. The Rice Museum in Georgetown chronicles the development of rice agriculture and its impact on not only South Carolina, but internationally as well. Article primarily about rice agriculture and some mention of indigo grown successfully in South Carolina as early as 1680. By the early 18th century, with the slave system established on a large scale, rice became a major export crop of the region. SC Department of Archives and History website contains several archaeological contexts of important industries associated with maritime activities, namely phosphate industry and rice agriculture. Article entitled “A Short History of the Forest Industry in South Carolina” discussing the forest products industry, including naval stores, which began in 1670 when boards were sawn near the mouth of the Ashley River. The Horry County Museum in Conway has several permanent exhibits devoted to the naval stores industry, once an important economic activity in the county and surrounding area. Replica ships: The Spirit of South Carolina is a pilot schooner built along the lines of the Frances Elizabeth, a vessel that was originally built by the Samuel J. Pregnall & Bros. Shipyard in Charleston in 1879 and served pilots in Charleston Harbor for 25 years. Shipwrecks: The Rice Museum houses the remains of a small coastal vessel named the Browns Ferry Vessel, built in the early 1700s and sunk approximately 1730, which is on permanent display. Discovered on the Black River in 1976, this vessel was reconstructed and stored by the University of South Carolina and brought to the Museum in 1992. Military: The Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mt. Pleasant has several vessels docked including the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, along with an number of aircraft, and a reproduction of a Vietnam-era base. The Naval Weapons Station Charleston is an active US Navy installation located on the Cooper River. The Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island has trained enlisted male training since 1915 and enlisted female training since 1949. The depot also houses the Parris Island Museum with exhibits of the navy/marine corps presence on Parris Island, as well as archaeological materials associated with Spanish Santa Elena and French Charlesfort from the late 16th century.  Coast Guard: The US Coast Guard base is located on the Ashley River in Charleston, once the site of a rice factory. Festivals: The annual Tall Ships© Charleston features the Charleston Maritime Festival on land and tall ships from around the globe on water. Georgetown's Wooden Boat Show is intended to give both visitors and residents an understanding and appreciation the area’s rich maritime heritage. State Ports: The South Carolina State Ports Authority contributes to the economic development of South Carolina by fostering and stimulating waterborne commerce and shipment of freight at two terminals in Charleston and Georgetown. Seafood Industry: The South Carolina Seafood Alliance seeks to provide information and education about the state fishery industry, namely shrimping, oystering, and finfishing. A link to a brochure produced by a SC Sea Grant providing a brief history of the South Carolina shrimping industry.  Publications: Coastal Heritage is a quarterly publication of the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium with many features related to the maritime heritage of the state.