Beaufort History Museum is taking a look back into headlines from Beaufort newspapers from the late 1800s to the early twentieth century. These posts highlight the stories Beaufortonians were buzzing about in yesteryear.
Let's go back to 1903 and revisit this Beaufort Gazette reporter's account of a live-fire target practice conducted from Fort Fremont on Saint Helena Island. The reporter describes the exercise and its results in detail of what would have been an example of state-of-the-art, turn-of-the-20th century coastal artillery technology.
Our followers should note that the new Fort Fremont History Center is planned to open on November 9, 2021 and will tell the story of this unique example of a Spanish American War Era fortification listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Places that sold illegal, untaxed alcoholic beverages were known as Blind Tigers. The tigers may have been blind, but law enforcement wasn’t, as shown by this July 23, 1903 Beaufort Gazette headline.
For all the changes in the newspaper business, some things remain constant, like the cardinal rule that "if it bleeds it leads." This story appeared on Page 1 of the August 6, 1903 Beaufort Gazette.
Fire was a constant threat in twentieth century Beaufort, as shown in this Beaufort Gazette headline from January 24, 1907. Portions of the story are not as legible as we would like, but copies made from microfilm of a paper printed 114 years ago have their limitations.
One of the most celebrated personalities in Washington was Alice Roosevelt, daughter of President and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt. News of her wedding was carried around the world, including Beaufort, as this February 22, 1906 Beaufort Gazette headline confirms. Because of limitations in photography, several photos referenced in the article could not be reproduced on microfilm.
It must have been a slow news day in Beaufort, because the Gazette’s front page lacked any headline and this piece reprinted from the Florence Times, “Troubles of an Editor,” made the front page. Niels Christensen, Jr., the Gazette’s editor, must have known those troubles, but he had no way of knowing that a few hundred miles to the north, in Kitty Hawk, N.C., one of the most important news stories in history was unfolding as Orville Wright flew 120 feet in the first powered flight in history.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let's see how Santa did it in the Beaufort County Democrat over a century ago. Not a flat screen TV nor cell phone in sight. Ho-ho-ho! And Merry Christmas from the Beaufort History Museum.
Today, Beaufort's iconic Arsenal is home to the Beaufort History Museum, but at one time it hosted boxing matches, as shown by this February 24, 1911 headline from the County Democrat.
Who needs I-95 when a shell road is good enough for automobiles? This February 17, 1911, article from the County Democrat crows about Beaufort's superior roads, built at a cost that today probably wouldn't fund a single guard rail on the interstate.
In 1895, The Palmetto Post began local publication. The layout of the front page always included a poem. Now that Beaufort is experiencing a taste of winter, this one from February 21, 1895, seems timely.
As seen in this February 28, 1895 Palmetto Post headline, the postal service used to auction off undeliverable mail. In 1894, Americans misdirected over one million dollars in checks, drafts and money orders, the equivalent of $32 million today.
Our mission is to preserve, portray, and promote the experiences of our past that influence us now and in the future.
The Beaufort History Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 713 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC 29902. Mailing Address: PO Box 172, Beaufort, SC 29901
