Located in Dorchester County, South Carolina, Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site is a state park. The nearest town is Centerville, about 5.1 km (3.2 mi) away (Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site lies S of town).
Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site sits along the Ashley River, near the town of Summerville in Dorchester County, South Carolina. In 1969, the site was donated to the South Carolina State Park Service and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1969. The park is 325 acres large. It is the site of one of the most well-preserved oyster-shell tabby forts in the country, St. George's Bell Tower, log shipping wharves, burial sites and cemeteries, as well as on-going archaeological digs that are still unearthing the settlement's history.From the Wikipedia article “Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 61° ENE | 8:33 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:19 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 59m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:01 AM – 6:01 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 4:39 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 4:24 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:58 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:52 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 9:01 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 75 | 78 | 81 | 90 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 91 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 20 | 25 | 29 | 40 | 52 | 63 | 69 | 68 | 55 | 39 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, closest first.
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Lake
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouseFAQ
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How far is Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site from Centerville?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.