Celebrate 300 Years of Beaufort History

Officially, the City of Beaufort will celebrate its 300th birthday in 2011. But the history of Beaufort, Port Royal, and the surrounding Sea Islands dates back almost 500 years.  Visit our TriCentennial History Page to read about the history of Beaufort from its discovery to its settlement in 1711.

The Beaufort Region also has history dated during the Revolutionary War. In the Beaufort area, bitter rivalries led to scattered fighting between Tories and Patriots.  Click here to read the Beaufort history of the Revolutionary War.

The Beaufort Region is also a staple in the history books for the American Civil War. The first meeting to draft the Ordinance of Secession (by which South Carolina led the withdrawal of the Southern states from the Union) was held at the Milton Maxey House in Beaufort, known today as the Secession House. As a result, Beaufort was an early target of the Federal forces.  Click here to read the full history of the Civil War in Beaufort, SC.

Lastly, some of the most vibrant and well preserved history in Beaufort, SC is our Gullah Culture. The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African-American community in the United States, and some of the largest population of Gullahs are here in Beaufort, SC.  To read all of Beaufort's Gullah history, click here.



   

Click here to view a map of historic markers in and around Beaufort County.