Engraving of Castle Pinckney published in Harper’s Weekly on Jan. 26, 1861, and then colored. Reprinted courtesy of the NYPL Digital Collections.

The first three paragraphs of the editorial published on Oct. 2, 2024, and a link to the entire piece are provided below, courtesy of The Post & Courier.

By The Editorial Staff
The Post & Courier

Most people will never see Castle Pinckney up close but will only glimpse it from Waterfront Park, the deck of the Yorktown or aboard a passing boat. The two-century-old abandoned fortification in Charleston Harbor lacks any dock and is closed to the public; any would-be visitor must secure permission from its owner, the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1269.

With the successful renovation of Charleston’s Old City Jail, the horseshoe-shaped structure is one of the last major unrestored historic sites in a city renowned for its commitment to historic preservation, and the question of its future is becoming more urgent as sea levels continue to rise.

We commend the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp for stepping up to steward this historic site that few have wanted. As reporter Toby Cox recently explained, its ownership “ping-ponged” between the military, the State Ports Authority, the National Parks Service and the South Carolina Shrine Organization before the Sons acquired it from the port; most of the rest of undeveloped Shutes Folly Island is held by two family trusts. Click here for complete editorial.