Beaufort was founded by the British in 1711 and named after the 2nd Duke of Beaufort. Due to the ever present threat of invasion from Spanish Florida and the risk of Indian attack, Beaufort did not flourish in its early years,  instead it was Charleston that saw most of the growth. When Georgia was founded in 1732 it became a buffer against the Spanish, allowing Beaufort to flourish as a port and shipbuilding centre. From the late 19th century, the town went into decline, first as a result of an 1893  hurricane and then damage to the cotton crop by the  boll weevil took its toll. From the mid 20th century, Beaufort began to grow again as a result of nearby new military installations  and development of the tourist trade. Confusingly, there is also a Beaufort in North Carolina which is differentiated by different pronunciation - BEW-fart (SC) versus BOW-fort (NC).  Not a lot of help when booking accommodation on the Internet!

Bay Street

Beaufort developed its own a distinctive style of Southern architecture, different from that of Charleston or Savannah, Georgia. The town has retained many of its old buildings and in 1973 Beaufort Historic District was declared a National Historic Landmark. The downtown area of the Historic District is the old commercial heart of the town. To the west, the Old Point area has several large, old houses. This picture shows some of the old shops in Bay Street.

Anchorage House, Bay Street at Newcastle Street

To the west of the downtown area, Bay Street has some large old houses. Anchorage House was built in 1770 by William Elliott. The house was confiscated from his descendants by Union forces during the Civil War and was turned into a hospital. In March 1891, Rear Admiral Lester Beardslee purchased the Elliott House and he added the facade that you see now. The house narrowly escaped demolition in 1971. It has now been restored and is rented out for events.

Woods Memorial Bridge

Beaufort is  on Port Royal Island, one of numerous islands in the area known collectively as the Sea Islands. The road heading west is known as the Sea Island Parkway, a road that hops from island to island between Beaufort and the Atlantic coast on Hunting Island. This picture shows the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge, a swing bridge linking Beaufort to Ladies Island. The bridge is named after a police officer who died while serving in the line of duty.

Beaufort

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© Mike  Elsden 1981 - 2025

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