John Mark Verdier House Museum

Beaufort’s only house museum awaits your visit.

Visit downtown Beaufort’s historic John Mark Verdier House Museum for a step back in time. The impressive Federal-style mansion was built around 1804 by John Mark Verdier, a successful merchant and planter.

Verdier acquired significant wealth by trading indigo. He then purchased over 1,000 acres which he used to grow sea island cotton. The house on Bay Street was a highly visible statement of his wealth and status as a member of Beaufort’s planter class.

Entrance hall of Verdier House Museum

The John Mark Verdier House Museum

This museum is a wonderfully engaging attraction for many reasons. As the only historic planter’s house in the city open to the public, the 1804 estate presents an accurate portrait of how Beaufort’s wealthiest citizens lived during the height of the pre-Civil War Antebellum period when cotton was king and wealth was everything. The house has an impressive wide interior and four elaborate hand-carved fireplaces.

Detail of one of the hand-carved fireplaces inside the house museum

The house has seen some very important visitors. The Marquis de Lafayette stopped here on his Southern Tour in 1825. It was also used as Federal Headquarters by Union troops during the occupation of Beaufort during the Civil War. It was even home to the first telephone in Beaufort!

the Verdier House as Union headquarters

Luckily the Verdier House, or Lafayette House as it was called then, was protected and remained in family hands until the 1940s. A group of visionary citizens rallied to save the house from demolition. This group evolved into the Historic Beaufort Foundation. They worked diligently to register the house as a National Historic Landmark in 1971. They went on to open it as a museum in 1976.

hand carved moldings in interior of house

The Verdier House Today

The Verdier House has withstood time and factors that erased many other grand buildings from the area. The home was spared flame during the Civil War and held fast during devastating hurricanes.

This is in part to innovative shipbuilding techniques that used beams and hand-cut horizontal boards. Visitors will also notice the house does not include a kitchen, bathrooms or closets. While the house was maintained by the family, it was never updated; keeping it true to the period of construction. The kitchens and privy would have been located outside. Clothing was stored in trunks and wardrobes.

side and rear views of john mark verdier house museum

The John Mark Verdier House Museum also houses three permanent exhibits highlighting Robert Smalls, the First African American to serve in the U.S. Congress 1875 – 1886, Civil War photos by Samuel Cooley, and The Beaufort Volunteer Artillery.

Docent-guided tours are available every hour on the ½ hour from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The museum is closed on Sundays and holidays. Visitors are invited to visit and admire the house and its exhibits. For more information visit the Historic Beaufort Foundation, or call the museum at 843-379-6335.

For more information on Beaufort attractions visit https://southcarolinalowcountry.com/beaufort-port-royal-area/, or day trip information https://southcarolinalowcountry.com/beaufort-day-trips/

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The Lowcountry & Resort Islands Region of South Carolina includes the four, southern-most counties in the state, Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, and Colleton, which are bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by the Savannah River and the state of Georgia.

simplysoutherncottage keeps us in awe with each her projects. This bed swing refresh is one of our favorites!
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📸: simplysoutherncottage⠀
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Discover the fascinating story of Thomas Heyward Jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Born in St. Luke's Parish, now Jasper County, Heyward played a pivotal role in shaping American history. You can even visit his final resting place at the Old House Plantation near Ridgeland, SC. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Jasper County and uncover the legacy of this iconic figure.#thatsmylowcountry #naturallyamazing #sclowcountry #thomasheywardjr #schistory
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A different type of sunrise for #sunrisesunday today. This is blue hour on Pawleys Island. Blue hour lighting hits different. Especially in places like this where there's such a vastness to the sky and you can see a gradient from stars to blues to the earliest purples from the sun's first rays in the sky, long before it even crests the horizon. Added benefit, no one in their right mind wakes up this early to be out an hour before sunrise. Except for me, that is. So, with my gas station coffee in hand, I get to enjoy this beautiful beach without another soul around. Just me, the waves, and the noseeums aggressively attacking me.
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Headed down the road....Edisto Island.  #edisto #sclowcountry #trees #endofday  #beauty #islandsofsc
“The Morning Show”, 36x48, oil on canvas. markkelvinhortonstudio hortonhayesfineartstudio hortonhayesfineartstudio #oilpainting #charlestonsc #charlestonartist #southcarolina #southcarolinaartist #sclowcountry #mtpleasantsc #hobcawcreek #sunrise #sunrisepainting #oiloncanvas #marshpaintings #marshpainting #marsh #creek #contemporarytonalism #contemporaryart #contemporarypainting #sky #skypainters #skypaintings
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Barred Owlet #barredowl #owl #birdsofprey #raptor #birds #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #sclowcountry #magnoliaplantation #magnoliaplantationandgardens  #magnoliamoments #shotoncanon #nationalgeographic
"Hunting," Red-shouldered Hawk #redshoulderedhawk #hawk #raptor #birdofprey #birdofpreyphotography #birds #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #sclowcountry #magnoliaplantation #magnoliaplantationandgardens #magnoliamoments #palmettostate #bestofpalmettostate #getoutside #shotoncanon #audubonsociety #nationalgeographic #natgeo
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What were your weekend views today? #DiscoverSC 📸📍Botany Bay Beach: charlestonshopcurator
Hope you’ve had a beautiful Saturday in South Carolina! #DiscoverSC 📸📍: Botany Bay: donniewhitaker

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