Beaufort Area | Sights to See

Beaufort Arsenal Museum
713 Craven Street | (843) 525-8500
Built in 1798 & expanded in 1852. As a result of the secessionist movement. Contains Civil War artifacts and exhibits on local history.
Beaufort Arsenal Museum Blog Post

Beaufort National Cemetery
1601 Boundary Street | (843) 524-3925
One of the first cemeteries established during the Civil War, it is one of the few that contains the remains of both Confederate and Union soldiers.

Chapel of Ease
Land’s End Road, St. Helena’s Island
Built between 1742 and 1747 to serve the planters on St. Helena Island. In 1886, a forest fire destroyed part of the brick and tabby chapel. The ruins and a small graveyard remain.
Chapel of Ease Blog Post

Charlesfort-Santa Elena National Historic Landmark
Parris Island Marine Corp Station | (843) 228-2951
Visit the site of the early French and Spanish settlements. There is a small exhibit at the site; full exhibit at the Parris Island Museum.

Cypress Wetlands Trail
1700 Paris Ave, Port Royal | (843) 524-4333
Cypress Wetlands Rookery Loop is a 0.8 mile loop trail located in Port Royal, that offers the chance to see wildlife and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for walking, nature trips, and birding and is best used from April until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The wetlands support abundant populations of native wildlife.  The trail around the wetland is a combination of boardwalk, paved trail, and roadside pedestrian and bike trail.
Cypress Wetlands Rookery, Henry Robinson Boardwalk and Sands Beach Blog Post

Fort Frederick
601 Old Fort Road, Port Royal | (843) 255-2152
Fort Frederick Heritage Preserve is a 6-acre property owned by the SC Department of Natural Resources and Beaufort County. Fort Frederick is the oldest surviving tabby fort in South Carolina and the oldest known tabby structure in Beaufort County. Built by the British colonial government between 1733 and 1735, its most important contribution to history was over one hundred years later on Jan. 1, 1863, when people walked across a dock over the top of Fort Frederick to hear the first reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in the Southern states.  Visitors can enjoy lunch under a covered pavilion and read historical details on the interpretive signs. The property is open from dawn to dusk every day.
Fort Frederick Blog Post

Fort Fremont Preserve
1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island | (843) 255-2152
A unique example of a Spanish American War Endicott Era fortification built to protect the U.S. Naval Station in Port Royal.
St. Helena’s Lands End Road Blog Post

Hunting Island State Park
2555 Sea Island Pkwy. | (843) 838-2011.
Lighthouse, cabin, camping, picnic shelters, lagoon fishing, boat ramp, nature programs, park store, gift shop, nature center, marsh boardwalk, admission fee.
Walk on the Wild Side Blog Post
Get Away from the Everyday: Little Hunting Island Blog Post
Hunting Island Lighthouse is closed for repairs, but visitors have options.

John Mark Verdier House
801 Bay Street, Beaufort | (843) 379-6335
Operated by the Historic Beaufort Foundation. Circa 1800. Built in the Federal style by one of Beaufort’s most successful merchants, it is an excellent example of an early Lowcountry home. Museum gift shop open.
John Mark Verdier House Museum Blog Post

The Mather Museum & Interpretive Center
921 Ribaut Rd, Building #1, Beaufort | (843) 379-2787
Located on the campus of the Technical College of the Lowcountry, this museum depicts the history of the Mather School and its founder Rachel Crane Mather. The school was founded in 1868, shortly after the civil war, to teach the daughters of the newly freed slaves how to read and write and become homemakers. The School remained open for 100 years, closing it’s doors in 1968 and becoming a state trade school and eventually the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Hours of operation: Tues-Fri 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Old Sheldon Church Ruins
948 Old Sheldon Church Rd., Yemassee | (843) 522-1712
1.7 miles north of the junction of Highways 21 & 17 near Gardens Corner. Sheldon Church has laid in ruin for more than 140 years. Its gable roof, pediment, windows & interior have disappeared, but the classic simplicity of its design still remains. Burned by Prevost’s British troops in 1779, and again during the Civil War it still serves as a religious center for special observances. Admission – Free.
DRIVING TOUR BLOG POST
OLD SHELDON RUINS GAIN PROTECTION BLOG POST
OLD SHELDON, THEN AND NOW BLOG POST

Parris Island Museum
676 Panama St. | (843) 228-2951
Housed in the War Memorial Building, it is devoted to the portrayal of the history &  development of Parris Island and the Port Royal area along with the Marine Corps & recruit training facilities.

Pat Conroy Literary Center
601 Bladen St. | (843) 379-7025
The Pat Conroy Literary Center cultivates a passionate and inclusive reading and writing community in honor of Pat Conroy, who dedicated his life to spreading his love for literature and writing to future generations.

Penn Center
16 Penn Center Circle, West, St. Helena Island | (843) 838-2432
The 50-acre Penn School National Historic Landmark District features the York W. Bailey Museum as well as 18 other structures related to the education of African Americans, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Era. Enjoy a permanent exhibit, “Education for Freedom: the Penn School Experiment,” as well as temporary exhibits. The museum, housed in the newly renovated Historic Cope Industrial Building, includes four galleries and a gift shop.
Penn Center Blog Post

Port Royal Museum
1634 Paris Ave. | (843) 524-4333
Take a trip back in time when lowcountry living was centered around the harvesting of seafood from the local creeks and rivers.  Find out how the deepest natural port provided opportunities and inspired local craftsmen to build boats and trawlers and market their bounties to the world.
Historic Port Royal Foundation Museum Blog Post

Port Royal Sound Foundation
310 Okatie Highway | (843) 645-7774
The Port Royal Sound Foundation features exhibits, classrooms, hands-on learning spaces and other areas where you can learn about and celebrate Port Royal Sound. Enjoy diverse and fun opportunities to experience and connect with the Port Royal Sound Area. Come by the Maritime Center to see the animals in action every Saturday at 2pm! A naturalist will feed and discuss the critters in various tanks. Fun for kids and adults alike! Other activities include Saturdays on the Sound, Tuesday Talks, Eco Boat Tours, story times and art contests.

Spanish Moss Trail
Lowcountry’s Rails to Trail located in the heart of Northern Beaufort County, SC. This 10 mile long hiking and biking trail is open for public enjoyment.  The trail is open dawn to dusk. The path is open for pedestrians and non-motorized transportation (Exception: motorized wheelchairs). There are six parking trail heads available. The trail is open to pets on a leash; pet-waste stations are available. The trail offers beautiful water and marsh views and coastal wildlife viewing. It is also open for recreational fishing on various trestles. There are two restroom facilities (Broome Lane and Parker’s Convenience Store.
Trail head access located at Clarendon Road, Depot Road, Westvine Drive, Broome Lane Access, Beaufort Plaza, Roseida Road, & Clarendon Road.
PART 1 BLOG POST
PART 2 BLOG POST

St. Helena’s Episcopal Church
507 Newcastle Street, Beaufort | (843) 522-1712
Established in 1712 as a colonial parish of the Church of England, St. Helena’s Episcopal Church is one of the oldest churches in America. The original church was built on the present site in 1724 and appears today as it did in 1842 following its final enlargement.
Brief History and Map
The Parish Church of St. Helena Blog Post

Tabernacle Baptist Church/Robert Smalls Grave
901 Craven Street, Beaufort | (843) 524-0376
Tabernacle Church was formed by African-American members of Beaufort Baptist Church after Federal Occupation of the town in 1861. Robert Smalls, a slave who during the Civil War became a Union Naval Captain and later a US Congressman is buried in the churchyard.
Beaufort’s Hero Robert Smalls and Tabernacle Baptist Church Blog Post