A historical marker in Vancouver, Wash., celebrates the “civilization of Washington,” by white explorers, erasing the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years. As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, many states are reexamining markers with questionable historical facts or outdated language. (Erika Bolstad/Stateline)
Most Revolutionary War history buffs know the story of Francis Marion, the Continental Army officer called the Swamp Fox for his guerrilla-style attacks that bedeviled British forces in South Carolina’s backcountry. But volunteers and historians have identified 560 Revolutionary War battle sites and other places of interest with connections to the state’s role in the nation’s founding.
“While we all love Francis Marion, let’s talk about some other people,” said Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250, the commission charged with restoring the public memory of the state’s Revolutionary War legacy. To do that, they’re reviving forgotten historical markers as well as installing new ones and making them all easier to find from the highway or online.