Ninety Six National Historic Site Ninety Six National Historic Site , also known as Old Ninety Six and Star Fort , is a United States National Historic Site located about 60 miles ( 96 kilometers ) south of Greenville , South Carolina . The historic site was listed on the National Register in 1969 , declared to be a National Historic Landmark in 1973 , and established as a National Historic Site in 1976 to preserve the original site of Ninety Six , South Carolina , a small town established in the early 18th century . History . The most common proposed etymology of the toponym Ninety Six is a reference to the distance in miles between the location and the Cherokee town of Keowee . Supporters of such an etymology are at pains , however , to explain away the fact that the distance between the two locales is in fact 78 miles . David P . George , Jr . , has advanced the alternative hypothesis that Ninety Six is in fact a reinterpretation of “ the nine and six , ” a reference to two sets of southerly flowing streams — nine tributaries of Marion and Henley creeks and six tributaries of Thompsons Creek — in an area in which the trunk stream tends to be fed by north / easterly flowing streams . Revolutionary War . Ninety Six had become a prosperous village by the time the American Revolutionary War came knocking at the door . The first land battle of the war fought in South Carolina took place at Ninety Six in 1775 . The village became a Loyalist stronghold early in the war and was fortified by the British in 1780 . From May 22 - June 18 , 1781 , Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1 , 000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the village . The 28 - day siege , the longest of the entire war , centered on an earthen star fort . Despite having more troops , Greene ' s patriots were eventually unsuccessful in taking the town . Ninety Six was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973 . According to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History , the " historic district of Ninety Six National Historic Site contains numerous historical features . " A special ceremony was held the weekend of May 20 , 2006 to commemorate the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Star Fort . The site today . Ninety Six National Historic Site is located two miles ( 3 . 2 kilometers ) south of the present day town of Ninety Six on South Carolina Highway 248 . The National Park Service maintains a visitor center that includes a small museum containing artifacts found at the site , as well as other period artifacts , and oil paintings of the battle and local leaders of the American Revolution . A video about the battle is available , and there is also a gift shop . Visitors can rent a self - guided audio tour of the park . A one mile ( 1 . 6 kilometer ) interpretive trail begins at the visitor center and takes visitors to the remains of Star Fort as well as the original site of Ninety Six . Additional off - road trails weaving through the woods lead to Star Fort Pond , an old unidentified cemetery ( believed to be a slave cemetery from post - colonial times ) , and to the graves of Major James Gouedy , a trader influential in the founding of Ninety Six and Major James Mayson , who captured a significant gunpowder cache to be used by the Americans .