by Jim Morekis
Conroy also wrote the foreword to the cookbook Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way: Smokin’ Joe Butter Beans, Ol’ ’Fuskie Fried Crab Rice, Sticky-Bush Blackberry Dumpling, and Other Sea Island Favorites by Daufuskie native and current Savannah resident Sallie Ann Robinson. Conroy would go on to publish in 1980 The Lords of Discipline, a reading of his real-life experience with the often savage environment faced by cadets at The Citadel—though Conroy would change the name, calling it the Carolina Military Institute. Still, when it came time to make a film adaptation in 1983, The Citadel refused to allow it to be shot there, so the “Carolina Military Institute” was filmed in England instead.
For many of his fans, Conroy’s The Prince of Tides is his ultimate homage to the Lowcountry. Surely, the 1991 film version starring Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte—shot on location and awash in gorgeous shots of the Beaufort River marsh—did much to implant an idyllic image of the area with audiences around the world. According to local legend, Streisand originally didn’t intend to make the film in Beaufort, but a behind-the-scenes lobbying effort allegedly coordinated by Conroy himself, and including a stay at the Rhett House Inn, convinced her.
The Bay Street Inn (601 Bay St.) in Beaufort was seen in the film, as was the football field at the old Beaufort High School. The beach scenes were shot on nearby Fripp Island. Interestingly, some scenes set in a Manhattan apartment were actually shot within the old Beaufort Arsenal (713 Craven St.), now a visitors center. Similarly, the Beaufort Naval Hospital doubled as New York’s Bellevue.
Despite the many personal tribulations he faced in the area, Conroy has never given up on the Lowcountry and still makes his home here with his family on Fripp Island. As for “The Great Santini” himself, you can visit the final resting place of Colonel Conroy in the Beaufort National Cemetery—Section 62, Grave 182.
SIGHTS
S Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park
A tastefully designed, well-maintained, and user-friendly mix of walkways, bandstands, and patios, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park (843/525-7054, www.cityofbeaufort.org, daily 24 hours) is a favorite gathering place for locals and visitors alike, beckoning one and all with its open green space and wonderful marsh-front views. Kids will especially enjoy the park, not only because there’s so much room to run around but also for the charming playground at the east end near the bridge, complete with a jungle gym in the form of a Victorian home. The clean, well-appointed public restrooms are a particularly welcome feature.
Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park on the Beaufort River
John Mark Verdier House Museum
A smallish but stately Federalist building on the busiest downtown corner, the John Mark Verdier House Museum (801 Bay St., 843/379-6335, www.historicbeaufort.org, tours on the half hour Mon.-Sat. 10:30am-3:30pm, $5) is the only historic Beaufort home open to regular tours. Built in 1805 for the wealthy planter John Mark Verdier, its main claims to fame are acting as the Union headquarters during the long occupation of Beaufort during the Civil War and hosting Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette, who stayed at the Verdier House on his 1825 U.S. tour.
Beaufort Arsenal and Visitors Center
The imposing yellow-gray tabby facade of the 1852 Beaufort Arsenal (713 Craven St.) once housed the Beaufort Museum, which sadly closed due to financial issues. The historic building currently houses the relocated offices of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau (843/986-5400, www.beaufortsc.org, daily 9am-5:30pm), and you can find plenty of visitor information and gifts inside; there are also public restrooms.
S St. Helena’s Episcopal Church
Nestled within a low brick wall surrounding this historic church and cemetery, St. Helena’s Episcopal Church (505 Church St., 843/522-1712, Tues.-Fri. 10am-4pm, Sat. 10am-1pm) has witnessed some of Beaufort’s most compelling tales. Built in 1724, this was the parish church of Thomas Heyward, one of South Carolina’s signers of the Declaration of Independence. John “Tuscarora Jack” Barnwell, one of Beaufort’s founders, is buried on the grounds.
The balcony upstairs was intended for black parishioners; as was typical throughout the region before the Civil War, both races attended the same church services. After the entire congregation fled with the Union occupation, Federal troops decked over the 2nd floor and used St. Helena’s as a hospital—with surgeons using tombstones as operating tables. The wooden altar was carved by the crew of the USS New Hampshire while the warship was docked in the harbor during Reconstruction.
While the cemetery and sanctuary interior are likely to be your focus, take a close look at the church exterior—many of the bricks are actually ships’ ballast stones. Also be aware that you’re not looking at the church’s original footprint; the building has been expanded several times since its construction (a hurricane in 1896 destroyed the entire east end). A nearly $3 million restoration, mostly for structural repairs, was completed in 2000.
Tabernacle Baptist Church
Built in 1845, the handsome Tabernacle Baptist Church (911 Craven St., 843/524-0376) had a congregation of over 3,000 before the Civil War. Slaves made up most of the congregation, and during the war freed slaves purchased the church. A congregant was the war hero Robert Smalls, who seized the Confederate steamer he was forced to serve on and delivered it to Union forces. He is buried in the church cemetery and has a nice memorial dedicated to him facing the street.
Beaufort National Cemetery
Begun by order of Abraham Lincoln in 1863, Beaufort National Cemetery (1601 Boundary St., daily 8am-sunset) is one of the few cemeteries containing the graves of both Union and Confederate troops. This national cemetery is where 19 soldiers of the all-black 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantries were reinterred after being found on Folly Island near Charleston. Also buried here is “The Great Santini” himself, novelist Pat Conroy’s father, Donald.
A Walking Tour of Beaufort Homes
Here’s a walking tour of some of Beaufort’s fine historic homes in private hands. You won’t be taking any tours of the interiors, but these homes are part of the legacy of the area and are locally valued as such. Be sure to respect the privacy of the inhabitants by keeping the noise level down and not trespassing on private property to take photos.
the old Beaufort Arsenal and Visitors Center
• Thomas Fuller House: Begin at the corner of Harrington and Bay Streets and view the 1796 Thomas Fuller House (1211 Bay St.), one of the oldest in Beaufort and especially unique in that much of the building material is tabby (hence the home’s other name, the Tabby Manse).
• Milton Maxcy House: Walk east on Bay Street one block and take a left on Church Street; walk up to the corner of Church and Craven Streets. Otherwise known as the Secession House (113 Craven St.), this 1813 home was built on a tabby foundation dating from 1743. In 1860, when it was the residence of attorney Edmund Rhett, the first Ordinance of Secession was signed here, and the rest, as they say, is history.
• Lewis Reeve Sams House: Resume the walking tour on the other side of the historic district, at the foot of the bridge in the old neighborhood simply called “The Point.” The beautiful Lewis Reeve Sams House (601 Bay St.), at the corner of Bay and New Streets, with its double-decker veranda, dates from 1852 and like many Beaufort mansions served as a Union hospital during the Civil War.
Lewis Reeve Sams House
• Berners Barnwell Sams House: Continue up New Street, where shortly ahead on the left you’ll find the 1818 Berners Barnwell Sams House (310 New St.), which served as the African American hospital during the Union occupation. Harriet Tubman of Underground Railroad fame worked here for a time as a nurse.
• Joseph Johnson House: Continue up New Street and take a right on Craven Street. Cross East Street to find the 1850 Joseph Johnson House (411 Craven St.), with the massive live oak in the front yard. Legend has it that when the Yankees occupied Hilton Head, Mr. Johnson buried his valuables under an outhouse. After the war he returned to find his home for sale d
ue to unpaid back taxes. He dug up his valuables, paid the taxes, and resumed living in the home. You might recognize the home from the film Forces of Nature.
• Marshlands: Backtrack to East Street, walk north to Federal Street, and go to its end. Built by James R. Verdier, Marshlands (501 Pinckney St.) was used as a hospital during the Civil War, as many Beaufort homes were, and is now a National Historic Landmark. It was the setting of Francis Griswold’s 1931 novel A Sea Island Lady.
• The Oaks: Walk up to King Street and take a right. Soon after you pass a large open park on the left, King Street dead-ends at Short Street. The Oaks (100 Laurens St.) at this corner was owned by the Hamilton family, who lost a son who served with General Wade Hampton’s cavalry in the Civil War. After the conflict, the family couldn’t afford the back taxes; neighbors paid the debts and returned the deed to the Hamiltons.
• Edgar Fripp House: Continue east on Laurens Street toward the water to find this handsome Lowcountry mansion, sometimes called Tidalholm (1 Laurens St.). Built in 1856 by the wealthy planter for whom nearby Fripp Island is named, this house was a key setting in The Big Chill and The Great Santini.
• Francis Hext House: Go back to Short Street, walk north to Hancock Street, and take a left. A short ways ahead on the right, the handsome red-roofed estate known as Riverview (207 Hancock St.) is one of the oldest structures in Beaufort; it was built in 1720.
• Robert Smalls House: Continue west on Hancock Street, take a short left on East Street, and then a quick right on Prince Street. The 1834 Robert Smalls House (511 Prince St.) was the birthplace of Robert Smalls, a former slave and Beaufort native who stole the Confederate ship Planter from Charleston Harbor while serving as helmsman and delivered it to Union troops in Hilton Head. Smalls and a few compatriots commandeered the ship while the officers were at a party at Fort Sumter. Smalls used the bounty he earned for the act of bravery to buy his boyhood home. After the war, Smalls was a longtime U.S. congressman.
Organized Tours
Colorful character Jon Sharp runs the popular Jon Sharp’s Walking History Tour (843/575-5775, www.jonswalkinghistory.com, Tues.-Sat. 11am, $20), taking a break during the summer months. The two-hour jaunt begins and ends at the Downtown Marina and takes you all through the downtown area.
The Spirit of Old Beaufort (103 West St. Extension, 843/525-0459, www.thespiritofoldbeaufort.com, Mon.-Sat. 10:30am, 2pm, and 7pm, $18) runs a year-round series of good themed walking tours, roughly two hours long, with guides usually in period dress. If you don’t want to walk, you can hire one of their guides to join you in your own vehicle (from $50).
As you might expect, few things could be more Lowcountry than an easygoing carriage ride through the historic neighborhoods. Southurn Rose Buggy Tours (843/524-2900, www.southurnrose.com, daily 10am-5pm, $18 adults, $7 children)—yes, that’s how they spell it—offers 50-minute narrated carriage rides of the entire Old Point, including movie locations, embarking and disembarking near the Downtown Marina about every 40 minutes.
An important specialty bus tour in the area is Gullah-N-Geechie Man Tours (843/838-7516, www.gullahngeechietours.net, $20 adults, $18 children), focusing on the rich Gullah history and culture of the St. Helena Island area, including the historic Penn Center. Call for pickup information.
ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS
Performing Arts
A prime mover of the local performing arts scene is Beaufort Performing Arts Inc., formed by a mayoral task force in 2003 specifically to encourage arts and cultural development within the area. Most performances are based in the nice Performing Arts Center on the oak-lined campus of the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB, 801 Carteret St., 843/521-4100, www.uscb.edu). Ticket prices typically range $12-40. Perhaps surprisingly for such a small place, Beaufort boasts its own full orchestra, the Beaufort Orchestra (1106 Carteret St., 843/986-5400, www.beaufortorchestra.org), which plays in the Performing Arts Center.
Cinema
One of only two functional drive-ins in the state, the Highway 21 Drive In (55 Parker Dr., 843/846-4500, www.hwy21drivein.com) has two screens, great sound, and awesome concessions that include Angus beef hamburgers. All you need to provide is the car and the company.
Festivals and Events
Surprisingly for a town so prominent in so many films, Beaufort didn’t have its own film festival until 2007. The Beaufort Film Festival (843/986-5400, www.beaufortfilmfestival.com) is held in February. It’s small in scale—the inaugural festival was only two days, at a now-defunct theater—but boasts a diverse range of high-quality, cutting-edge entries, including shorts and animation.
Each April, the Marine Corp Air Station Beaufort—a key underpinning of the area’s economy—hosts the world-famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels, as part of the Beaufort Air Show (www.beaufortairshow.com, free). While attendance at this all-day patriotic aviation extravaganza is free, there are ticket packages that get you better seating. The extremely popular event draws crowds; arrive early for the Blue Angels show Saturday morning.
Now over 20 years old, the Gullah Festival of South Carolina (www.theoriginalgullahfestival.org) celebrates Gullah history and culture on Memorial Day weekend at various locations throughout town, mostly focusing on Waterfront Park.
By far the biggest single event on the local festival calendar is the over 50-year-old Beaufort Water Festival (www.bftwaterfestival.com), held over two weeks in June or July each year, centering on the Waterfront Park area. One of the most eclectic and idiosyncratic events of its kind in a region already known for quirky hyperlocal festivals, the signature events are the Saturday-morning two-hour Grand Parade and a blessing and parade of the shrimp fleet on the closing Sunday.
Fall in the Lowcountry means shrimping season, and early October brings the Beaufort Shrimp Festival (www.beaufortsc.org). Highlights include an evening concert with specially lighted shrimp boats docked along the river, a 5K run over the Woods Memorial Bridge, and a more laid-back 5K walk through the historic district. Various cooking competitions are held, obviously centering around the versatile crustaceans that are the raison d’être of the shrimp fleet.
St. Helena Island hosts the three-day Penn Center Heritage Days (www.penncenter.com) each November, without a doubt the Beaufort area’s second-biggest celebration after the Water Festival. Focusing on Gullah culture, history, and delicious food, Heritage Days does a great job of combining fun with education.
SHOPPING
My favorite shop in Beaufort is The Bay Street Trading Company (808 Bay St., 843/524-2000, www.baystreettrading.com, Mon.-Fri. 10am-5:30pm, Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. noon-5pm), sometimes known simply as “The Book Shop,” which has a friendly staff and the best collection of Lowcountry-themed books I’ve seen in one place.
Across the street, the recently renovated Old Bay Marketplace, with a facade so bright red you can’t miss it, hosts a few cute shops, most notably the stylish Lulu Burgess (917 Bay St., 843/524-5858, Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. noon- 5pm), an eclectic store that brings a rich, quirky sense of humor to its otherwise tasteful assortment of gift items for the whole family.
A unique gift item, as well as something you can enjoy on your own travels, can be found at Lowcountry Winery (705 Bay St., 843/379-3010, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm). They host tastings daily in the tasting room (because of state law, they must charge a fee for the tasting, but it’s only $1 pp).
Art Galleries
My favorite gallery in town is The Gallery (802 Bay St., 843/470-9994, www.thegallery-beaufort.com, Mon.-Sat. 11am-5pm). Deanna Bowdish brings the most cutting-edge regional contemporary artists to this large, friendly, loft-like space.
A complete art experience blending the traditional with the cutting-edge is at the I. Pinckney Simons Art Gallery (711 Bay St., 843/379-4774, www.ipinckneysimonsgallery.com, Tues.-Fri. 11am-5pm, Sat. 11am-3pm), which is pronounced “Simmons” despite the spelling.
Right on the water is a fun local favorite, the Longo Gallery (103 Charles St., 843/522-8933, Mon.-Sat. 11am-5pm).
Owners Suzanne and Eric Longo provide a whimsical assortment of less traditional art than you might find in the more touristy waterfront area. Take Charles Street as it works its way toward the waterfront, and the gallery is right behind a storefront on the corner of Charles and Bay Streets.
You’ll find perhaps the area’s best-known gallery over the bridge on St. Helena Island. Known regionally as one of the best places to find Gullah folk art, Red Piano Too (870 Sea Island Pkwy., 843/838-2241, www.redpianotoo.com, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm) is on the corner before you turn onto the road to the historic Penn Center. Over 150 artists from a diverse range of traditions and styles are represented in this charming little 1940 building with the red tin awning.
SPORTS AND RECREATION