History of Fort Prince George

Fort Prince George was constructed in 1753 in Pickens County, South Carolina, for the Prince of Wales, who would later become King George III.

Built on the Cherokee Path, also known as the Keowee Path, it was the primary route from Charleston to Columbia, South Carolina, in Colonial America, connecting all of the Cherokee territories. Present day, South Carolina Highway 11, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, traces some of the original path.

The fort was built on the Keowee River across form the town of Keowee, South Carolina. The fort was built of clay and wood with walls 12 to 15 feet high, surrounded by a deep trench. The interior contained a guardhouse, a storehouse, a kitchen, a magazine, barracks, and residence. It served as a staging point for the British assaults on the Cherokee during the French and Indian War around 1760. The fort was abandoned by 1768.

The fort was submerged under Lake Keowee after the completion of the Keowee Dam in 1971. Prior to the fort being submerged, it was excavated. Some of the items discovered included:

• Three presumed Indian skeletons

• Musket and cannonballs

• Rum bottles

• Pieces of cooking utensils