This is beautiful Beaufort SC as opposed to Beaufort (pronounced bo-fort) NC—folks in this area are pretty particular about the difference. This town is always on the list of historical towns to visit and has earned its place through the diligent work of the Beaufort Historical Society and homeowners preserving over 200 homes. If you are here in late October, you can attend the House and Garden Tour and gain entrance into these magnificent homes. The John Mark Verdier House Museum is open all year and you can see the historic renovation of this Federal-style home.
There is so much history in this compact town. Beaufort was a hotbed of sedition advocating that SC secede from the Union and it is ironic that when the Civil War started, Beaufort was taken quickly and used as a regional Union Army Headquarters for 4 years, but this spared the town from being gutted. It is fascinating to walk through the St. Helena’s Episcopal Church cemetery which became a hospital during the war and its tombstones were used as operating tables.
We took a carriage ride through the historic district and our tour guide, Bill, made history come alive. His horse Duke was quite taken with Bob and wondered if he was going to get a carrot for all his efforts. Here’s a picture of the Joseph Johnson House (The Castle) which occupies an entire city block, is surrounded by lush gardens and reportedly sold for a reduced price of 2.65 million. The last picture is the Party House which was a club for wealthy landowners.
One of our favorite authors, Pat Conroy, was born here and it is easy to see why Beaufort would be used as a backdrop when his books (The Great Santini, Prince of Tides) were made into movies. The town was also featured in The Big Chill and Forest Gump.
There is so much history in this compact town. Beaufort was a hotbed of sedition advocating that SC secede from the Union and it is ironic that when the Civil War started, Beaufort was taken quickly and used as a regional Union Army Headquarters for 4 years, but this spared the town from being gutted. It is fascinating to walk through the St. Helena’s Episcopal Church cemetery which became a hospital during the war and its tombstones were used as operating tables.
We took a carriage ride through the historic district and our tour guide, Bill, made history come alive. His horse Duke was quite taken with Bob and wondered if he was going to get a carrot for all his efforts. Here’s a picture of the Joseph Johnson House (The Castle) which occupies an entire city block, is surrounded by lush gardens and reportedly sold for a reduced price of 2.65 million. The last picture is the Party House which was a club for wealthy landowners.
One of our favorite authors, Pat Conroy, was born here and it is easy to see why Beaufort would be used as a backdrop when his books (The Great Santini, Prince of Tides) were made into movies. The town was also featured in The Big Chill and Forest Gump.
