Welcome to Beaufort, SC
Beaufort was founded in 1711, making it the second-oldest city in South Carolina, after Charleston. It’s often called the “Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands”—renowned for its scenic Lowcountry charm and well-preserved antebellum architecture.
Beaufort Through the Years
Foundations of Beaufort
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The area was first explored by Europeans in 1514 by Spanish Captain Pedro de Salazar.
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After several failed colonial attempts (e.g., French Charlesfort, Scottish Stuart Town in 1684), the British successfully founded Beaufort in 1711.
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In the antebellum period, Beaufort flourished through Carolina Gold rice and Sea Island cotton, earning it the nickname the “Newport of the South.”
Historic Landmarks
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Photo credit to:
www.beaufortsc.org
explorebeaufortsc.com
Old Sheldon Church Ruins
Once known as Prince William’s Parish Church (1745–1753), this hauntingly beautiful Greek Revival ruin is said to be the first deliberate attempt to imitate a Greek temple in America. Burned by British forces in the Revolutionary War and again (legend says) by Sherman’s troops during the Civil War, it stands today as a peaceful, moss-draped reminder of Beaufort’s endurance.
Hunting Island Lighthouse
Built in 1859 but destroyed in 1862, this iconic cast-iron lighthouse was rebuilt in 1875 and relocated inland by a mile in 1889 to escape encroaching tides. It’s the only lighthouse in South Carolina that you can still climb to the top of—a view worth the 167 steps.
Penn Center
Founded as Penn School in 1862, this was the first school in the South dedicated to educating freedmen. Now a Gullah community center, it remains the cultural heart for tracking history, traditions, and civil rights heritage in the area.
Robert Smalls House
This Victorian-style home belonged to Robert Smalls, a former enslaved man who commandeered a Confederate ship to freedom, later serving as a U.S. Congressman. It marks both architectural elegance and a powerful legacy of courage.
Parish Church of St. Helena
Founded in 1712 and completed around 1724, this Georgian/Federal-style Anglican church is among the oldest continuously used church buildings in the U.S., preserving sacred architecture and stories across centuries.
John Mark Verdier House
Built in 1795 (or 1804) for wealthy Huguenot trader John Mark Verdier, this Federal-style house now serves as Beaufort’s only house museum—complete with guided tours that bring early antebellum life into view.
Beaufort National Cemetery
Established in 1863 during the Civil War, this solemn site holds over 28,000 interments—including Union and Confederate soldiers, and veterans of nearly every U.S. conflict since. Its half-wheel road layout adds a unique, historic design detail.
Cuthbert House
Constructed around 1790 and later expanded with Victorian charm, this tabby-built home survived Civil War upheaval and near-demolition. Today, it thrives as a historic inn, blending past and present with grace.
A Town of Islands
Beaufort comprises 68 islands, often giving the region as much water as land at high tide.