About This Park - Rivers Bridge State Historic Site

Rivers Bridge State Historic Site

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Site of one of the Confederacy’s last stands against General William T. Sherman’s sweep across the South, the still-intact earthen fortifications at Rivers Bridge State Historic Site bear silent witness to the fierce battle that raged there on Feb. 2-3, 1865.

The outnumbered Southerners held on for two days, marking the only major resistance the Union army encountered on its march from Georgia through South Carolina, which culminated a few weeks later with the burning of Columbia. The war itself ended soon after.

Today, Rivers Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only state historic site in South Carolina that preserves a Civil War battlefield.

Rivers Bridge also preserves and interprets the Memorial Grounds where Confederate dead from that two-day struggle are interred. Ranger-guided tours and special programs help educate visitors about the battle and military life during the Civil War.

GENERAL

Civil War: Yes
Designation: National Register
Counties: Bamberg
Acreage: 390
When & How PRT Acquired: Donated in 1945 by the Confederate Memorial Association
Pets: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet.
Restrictions: The earthen fortifications at Rivers Bridge State Historic Site are over 140 years old. We ask you to help us ensure that they remain a stark monument for generations to come.

When you visit, please stay on the designated path and do not climb, or walk through, the structure or the trenches, as they are very prone to erosion.

The use of a metal detector, or relic hunting in any fashion is strictly prohibited at Rivers Bridge State Historic Site.

HOURS

Admissions: Free admission
Office Hours: 11am-noon
Days and Hours of Operation: Th-M 9am-6pm

LOCATION

Driving Directions:
From I-95: Take exit 57 at Walterboro onto Hwy 64 W toward Barnwell. Turn onto Hwy 641 toward Allendale and follow the Rivers Bridge State Historic Site directional signs.

From I-26: Take exit 145 at Orangeburg onto Hwy 601 toward Bamberg. Turn onto Hwy 301 toward Allendale and follow the Rivers Bridge State Historic Site directional signs.

From I-20: Take exit #18 at Aiken onto Hwy 19 S toward Aiken. Turn onto Hwy 78 E toward Denmark. Turn onto Hwy 321 S toward Savannah and follow the Rivers Bridge State Historic Site directional signs.
Miles to Nearest Hospital: 25
Miles to Nearest Town: 7
Miles to Nearest Grocery Store: 7