Join Us For These Upcoming Events!
Thursday · November 20 · 6pm
“The Age of Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The Marines During the Revolution, 1775-1783”
at Sunrise Presbyterian Church
November 10 is recognized as the birthday of the Marine Corps. But this year that event takes on an even more special meaning because the Corps was founded in 1775 making this its 250th birthday and a significant part of celebrating America250.
We are pleased to announce our November event, “The Age of Wooden Ships and Iron Men: The Marines During the Revolution, 1775-1783.” Part of our monthly speaker series, this program will be given by Retired Marine Lt. Col. Ed Forte. Ed’s talk will touch on the many often overlooked contributions of the Continental, state and privateer Marines during our War for Independence. The presentation will focus on their genesis, organization, equipment and employment during the “Age of Sail.” Highlighted will be both their roles in conventional blue water ship-to-ship engagements as well as the more unconventional expeditionary, amphibious operations of irregular naval warfare in the late 18th century.
Ed Forte is a native of New Jersey. After his 23-year career in the Marines, he returned to his role as educator, both as an AP History teacher, coach, and high school principal in Fulton County, Georgia. During his 20 years in education, Ed was the recipient of numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year Award at his high school, the TV Channel 11 Class Act Award for Teaching Excellence for the Metro-Atlanta area, and the Georgia SAR/DAR Outstanding History Teacher Award. He was inducted into the National Society for High School Society Scholars as a Class Nobel Educator of Excellence.
Taking his lifelong interest in American History a step further, Ed is an active reenactment member of the 2nd South Carolina Continental Line, in support of the education team of the SC Battlefield Preservation Trust and has appeared in several period documentaries, including the SCETV Middle School SC Revolutionary War Series and the soon to be released Ken Burn’s, “The American Revolution.”
BGCC is honored to have Ed Forte as our featured November speaker.
Thank you to Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 3222 Middle St. for hosting.
And, as always, these presentations are free and open to the public.
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How Will Sullivan’s Island Celebrate Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary? We Need YOU!
April 19, 2025 will mark the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard ‘round the world,” and the opening armed conflict of the American Revolution, our war for independence that ultimately lasted for eight years.
In 2016 the U.S. Congress established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and the America250 Foundation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The enabling legislation went further and designated four communities as “Signature Cities,” Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charleston! That’s no surprise. By the time of the Revolution, South Carolina was the most prosperous of the original 13 colonies. The per capita wealth in Charlestown was five times that of Boston. Ultimately, there were more battles and skirmishes fought in South Carolina than in any other state. The Battle of Sullivan’s Island on June 28, 1776, alone stymied the British designs on the southern colonies for another four years. And it was fought six days before the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Following the formation of America250 each state was tasked with forming its own commission. All 50 states now have such organizations including our own SC250, officially the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission, chartered by the General Assembly in 2018 to insure, “a proper observance of the Sestercentennial of the American Revolution in South Carolina.” In turn, each South Carolina county was encouraged to form their own steering committee, resulting in SC250 Charleston.
Our town council tapped Battery Gadsden Cultural Center to be the liaison between the town and SC250 Charleston. BGCC president, Mike Walsh, has been to two meetings of that group and attended two webinars, and the situation is clear. It’s time for Sullivan’s Island to get to work! What will the eight years of commemorating not just the Revolution, but really the entirety of what this great nation has become over the past two and a half centuries look like in our community? And we’re not just talking about Carolina Day and July 4, 2026. We’re not just talking about people dressing up in three-cornered hats and powdered wigs. This is not just fireworks and hot dogs. We are celebrating Americana… American culture in the broadest sense, keeping in mind those communities that are often underrepresented or marginalized. And for this project to have the eight year longevity it deserves, we must involve our youth.
Recently a dozen folks with creative minds gathered at town hall to begin this discussion. The brainstorming session was very productive and included representatives from town government, the arts community, educators, community service organizations, and islanders at large. But we need more. We need your input. I’ll try to keep you informed as this project progresses, but in the meantime if anyone has thoughts about how the 250th anniversary of this great nation of ours should be celebrated locally, please send them to batterygadsden@gmail.com. And please visit SC250Charleston.org to learn more and see all the many enthusiastic groups already hard at work on this important commemoration.
Your Opinion
Your opinion matters when it comes to our programming. What would you like to see in the way of programs and activities? Our Board of Directors would love to hear from you about any topic, but especially new ideas for programming. This becomes especially important as we see the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding rapidly approaching. BGCC is serving as the liaison between the town and SC250 Charleston, the local planning committee for all events we hope to have happen between 2025 and 2033, covering eight years of celebration, the same length of time as the American Revolution. If you're not familiar with the work of this group or its parent organizations, America250 and SC250, be sure to check our their websites. The goals of this group are very similar to BGCC's: preserving our shared history, providing inclusive events and programs, and bettering the fabric of our communities. Please be in touch with us regarding your ideas.
Our Purpose
Battery Gadsden Cultural Center, a non-profit established in 1992, seeks to share the rich history of Sullivan's Island through lectures and performances. We hope to create a museum of the civilian life of Sullivan's Island. We host community events and wish to serve as a showcase for artists, lecturers, musicians, and performers.
Our local publication, "Sullivan's Island Magazine," wrote about us in its Winter-Spring 2018-2019 issue. Click here to read an article about the Battery Gadsden Cultural Center.
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Throughout the year we organize and sponsor a variety of events... Carolina Day, Oral History Project, Theatrical Performances, Speakers, Preservation, Art Exhibits, Book Signings, and more!
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