Visitors to one of South Carolina’s most significant Revolutionary War sites will now be able to have a much more interactive experience learning about an important Patriot victory in Laurens County.
Gathering at the Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site on the 246th anniversary of the battle Aug. 19, representatives of South Carolina State Parks, the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) and others celebrated the reopening of a redesigned visitor center featuring new, interactive digital characters.
Located at 398 State Park Road just off of S.C. Highway 56 north of Clinton, Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site is one of the state’s most historically significant Revolutionary War locations.
The site commemorates a Patriot victory on Aug. 19, 1780, when about 200 Patriot militiamen defeated a much larger force of South Carolina Loyalist militia and provincial troops from South Carolina, New York and New Jersey. The victory provided a crucial morale boost to Patriot forces following their crushing defeat by British and Loyalist soldiers at the Battle of Camden on Aug. 16, 1780.
The revamped visitor center now features digital characters representing a Patriot civilian, a Patriot militiaman, a Loyalist militiaman, and an enslaved African American seeking freedom. Designed by TimeLooper, an interpretive experience design firm based in New York, the characters share stories and respond to visitor questions, providing insights into the challenges, motivations, and experiences of the Battle of Musgrove Mill and the Revolutionary War era.
According to SCPRT, the character responses are based on a wide body of historical research and source materials curated by state park historians and Revolutionary War experts to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the exhibit.
The project was made possible in part through the support of the Duke Energy Foundation, the National Park Service and the Bailey Foundation, as well as accommodations tax grants from Laurens County and the city of Clinton. Additional support came from state appropriations and other donors.
For more information, visit southcarolinaparks.com/musgrove-mill.
