Pass program to be available year-round (from Beaufort Today, 7/20/16).
A lot can be said about a community through the artifacts from its past on display in local museums. To encourage more people in Beaufort to learn the history of the area, three museums are partnering to provide a discount on visits and tours. Board Member Stuart Heath describes the program on WHHI TV.
That rich past is depicted at the Beaufort History Museum, Historic Beaufort Foundation and Santa Elena History Center. Located with 10-15 minute walks of each other, the three museums are providing a $1 savings on admission.
Anyone who purchases a full-price ticket at any of the museums will receive a sticker that entitles the wearer to $1 off admission at the other two.
“The hope is that people who are interested in the rich history of the Beaufort district will be able to take full advantage of three interesting museums which are in walking distance of each other,” said Carla Marsh, a Beaufort History Museum board member. “Each museum offers a unique perspective and a visit to all three will deepen the cultural and educational experience.”
By walking to each museum, guests are provided a scenic route through downtown. Each historical center has a different mission, distinct presentation and unique perspective so that a visit to each one enhances learning and deepens the cultural experience.
The Beaufort History Museum, located 713 Craven Street, is housed in the historic 1798 Arsenal. It tells the story of the area’s 500-year history through artifacts, photos and tours given by knowledgeable docents.
The Historic Beaufort Foundation is located at 801 Bay Street in the Verdier House. It is the only planter’s house in Beaufort open to the public.
The museum’s goal is to protect and preserve historical sites and artifacts of historic, architectural and cultural interest across the county.
The Santa Elena History Center, located at 1501 Bay Street, presents the history of the Spanish who established a town in 1566 on the shores of Port Royal Sound. The old courthouse provides visitors with the opportunity to learn about “America’s Untold Story” of Santa Elena.
“Museums are important to our community because they tell the authentic story of who we were and how we evolved to become who we are now,” Marsh said. “They enable us to participate in the burgeoning cultural and historic tourism throughout our area and are essential in making Beaufort a prime destination as part of that trend.”
Visitors eager to discover the Lowcountry can start the journey with Beaufort’s museums, where they can learn about Beaufort’s past and the place where American history began.
“Before St. Augustine, Jamestown and Plymouth, in 1562 the French, led by Jean Ribault, established Charlesfort near what is now Parris Island. The Beaufort district was also the site of Santa Elena, a thriving settlement founded by Spanish explorers in 1566,” Marsh said.
The museum pass program will be available year-round, not just during peak tourism season.
For more information about the Beaufort History Museum, call 843-379-3079 or go to www.beauforthistorymuseum.com. To learn more about the Historic Beaufort Foundation, call 843-379-3331 or go to www.historicbeaufort.org. For the Santa Elena History Center, contact 843-379-1550 or go to www.Santa-Elena.org.
Click here for the complete Beaufort Gazette article of 7/16/2016...
The Beaufort History Museum announces the opening of a new exhibit that illuminates a fascinating era in the history of South Carolina and the nation. During Reconstruction, the period immediately following the Civil War, most of the South was suffering from devastation and upheaval. But due to the enterprising spirit of newly freed slaves and an overlapping series of propitious events, Beaufort and the Sea Islands were propelled into a period of recovery, resurgence and prosperity.
Titled “Islands of Hope in a Sea of Distress,” the new Exhibit tells the stories of Reconstruction in the Beaufort District through original photos, text, documents and artifacts. Lawrence S. Rowland, Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and authority on the history of the Beaufort District says, “The Reconstruction Period of American history (1865 – 1877) began in Beaufort, S.C. It was the most radical social transformation the nation has experienced. The Reconstruction Period in Beaufort changed the town and the Sea Island region forever. This is where the ‘New South’ began. This exhibit recounts Beaufort’s unique part in this national story.”
Katherine Lang, a BHM Board member and former president, conceived the idea for the exhibit more than a year ago and, along with other committee members, has been instrumental in bringing the project to fruition.
“The Exhibit is something that Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling and I had talked about for awhile. He pointed out that Reconstruction was a pivotal era that unfolded here in an especially significant way.” She said. “It just seemed, with the Museum back at the Arsenal, we now had the space and the resources to create an historically relevant new exhibit, and focusing on Reconstruction in Beaufort was now an idea whose time had come. So we secured funding, formed a committee with resourceful Board members and we were off and running.”
Reconstruction in Beaufort began earlier than in other areas in the south. Following the Battle of Port Royal in 1861, Union troops occupied Beaufort and established headquarters, supply centers and medical facilities. Local white planters fled. With the Civil War still raging, 10,000 slaves were liberated in the Beaufort District. Schools were for whites only and it was illegal to teach slaves to read. Northern missionaries established the Penn School and Mather School to educate the newly freed men, women and children as part of the Port Royal Experiment.
Robert Smalls, who was born a slave here, helped lead Beaufort through Reconstruction. Business boomed. The sources of prosperity were timber, phosphates and shipping, all spurred on by the completion of the Port Royal Railroad in 1873, which provided the means to more efficiently transport products into and out of the area. Former slaves came to own land as freedmen and agriculture flourished.
With this story as the backdrop, the committee decided to focus the Exhibit on four main areas: Education, Politics, Commerce and Agriculture, acquiring photos and artifacts to support the narrative. “Actually, we are still actively sourcing more photos, documents, family oral histories, artifacts and other things to add to the Exhibit. We would very much like to hear from local residents who have something from the Reconstruction era to share with us,” Lang said. Those who would like to share stories, photos or artifacts from the Reconstruction era may contact the museum at exhibits@beauforthistorymuseum.com.
Beaufort History Museum has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times.
The Arsenal address is 713 Craven Street. BHM’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday. Docents are on duty to provide information and conduct tours. A donation of $5.00 per visitor ($4.00 for Seniors) is required. Children and active military are admitted free of charge. Please visit the website at www.beauforthistorymuseum.com or BHM’s Facebook page for updates and news from the Museum.
Beaufort, SC – June 15, 2016 – Do you love history? Come learn about and share the incredible 500-year history of this area at the Beaufort History Museum (BHM). We are recruiting the Summer 2016 class of volunteer docents to lead tours and serve as community liaisons. The museum displays artifacts, photos and special exhibits to help our volunteers bring Beaufort’s history to life for visitors. Learn how Beaufort shaped America—from its settlement by Europeans to its involvement in the Revolutionary War, to it’s dramatic roles during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, and its current-day prominence as the site of military training and defense.
The museum’s training curriculum will cover all aspects of history relating to the Beaufort District and educators will provide knowledge of the museum’s collections, history and mission. Once docents have completed the training process they will be asked to serve up to four shifts per month and will commit to a one-year period of service to the museum. Space is limited and those interested in attending the five-week session are encouraged to register early.
An information session is planned for Wednesday, June 29 at 9:00 AM and will follow immediately by the first scheduled class. All sessions will be held at the Beaufort History Museum, which is located on the second floor of the Arsenal at 713 Craven Street in Beaufort’s historic district.
The Summer Docent Class Schedule:
Wed. – June 29 9:00 -10:00 AM – informational/orientation class immediately followed by class #1 from 10:00 AM – Noon
Wed. – July 13 9:30 -11:30 AM – Class #2
Wed. – July 20 9:30 -11:30 AM – Class #3
Wed. – July 27 9:30 – Noon Class #4
Wed. – August 3 9:30 -11:30 AM – Class #5
No class will be held the week of July 4. A makeup class will be offered if necessary.
For more information on the docent program, or other volunteer opportunities with the museum, contact Lorrie Burleyknoles, Volunteer Committee Co-Chairperson and Docent Educator, at beauforthistorymuseum.com or call 559-362-3237.
The Arsenal address is 713 Craven Street. BHM’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday. Docents are on duty to provide information and conduct tours. A donation of $5.00 per visitor ($4.00 for Seniors) is required. Children and active military are admitted free of charge. Please visit the website or BHM’s Facebook page for updates and news from the Museum.
Beaufort History Museum will present Girls Raised In The South (GRITS), a tea party and performance celebrating strong Lowcountry women who changed history. The principal fundraiser for the Museum, this delectable event is planned for Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at Dataw Island Club, in the beautiful Carolina Room, starting at 1:30 PM with a reception featuring live music by Horizon and a cash bar, followed at 2:00 PM by the tea party and program.
Tickets are currently available at by clicking here. Prices for BHM members are $35; non-members are $45 (may sign up for BHM membership and pay the lower price); a table for ten is $350. Proceeds benefit the Beaufort History Museum.
The tea party features scrumptious traditional fare; a performance in full period dress by acclaimed re-enactor, Kim Poovey, based on her Civil War-era novel, Truer Words, and the stories of four outstanding Lowcountry women who influenced the unfolding history of the Beaufort District.
Mayor Billy Keyserling will talk about his mother, Harriet Keyserling, and her achievements and contributions to Beaufort and South Carolina as a County Council Woman, State Legislator, and advocate of the arts. Andrea Allen, a Museum Board Member, will describe how Harriet Tubman, who was born a slave, changed the history of both the Lowcountry and the nation.
Native Beaufortonian Anne Christensen Pollitzer will recount how her great-grandmother Abbie Holmes Christensen, made a lasting impact on Beaufort through her educational, business and civic contributions. Ingrid Owens of Penn Center will introduce Mrs. Ercell Brown Holmes, a 1947 graduate of Penn School and lifelong resident of St. Helena Island, and will describe her many contributions to Beaufort and her Sea Island community. Mrs. Holmes will also attend the tea.
Beaufort History Museum has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times. Docent classes are conducted on an ongoing basis.
Inspire. Enrich. Engage. These are the stirring words summoning the promise of entertainment, learning and community interaction at the South Carolina Humanities Festival, due to unfold at many locations throughout Beaufort County June 9 – 11. Arts, cultural and educational organizations from Beaufort to Bluffton and Hilton Head will participate, presenting a wide variety of special events including lectures, films, tours, art shows, exhibits, performances and much more, around the theme of community collaboration, to demonstrate a sense of place.
Beaufort residents and visitors will sample and savor the area’s rich and diverse art, history and culture from numerous interesting perspectives. The Festival kicks off at the USCB Center for the Arts on Thursday, June 9 with a preview of event activities, a “meet and greet” reception with refreshments and a concert.
The first Humanities Festival was held in 1993 in Beaufort to honor the Humanities Council’s 20th Anniversary, and was originated under the leadership of Harriet Keyserling and Betty Ann Mead. The event has since been held in eighteen different South Carolina cities. Each festival celebrates the local history and culture of the host community, enabling partnerships between cultural organization and community groups.
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, chairman of the Humanities Festival Committee, is working with community leaders to insure that the event will continue the great tradition of success initiated by his mother and Mead.
“The event is open to residents and visitors supporting the SC Humanities from across the state and region to join us in discovering and exploring Beaufort County’s unique history and culture,” Keyserling said. “Using the bridge as part of the logo demonstrates that we want residents of Beaufort to cross the river to explore Hilton Head Island and Bluffton and we want residents of Bluffton and Hilton Head to come out and learn more about us,” Keyserling said.
“This is perhaps the first and largest collaboration of organizations working together to share our sense of place. We have a story to share with our visitors and our residents,” he said.
Each of the venues that will open their doors to showcase Beaufort Country and portray the area’s heritage are representations of the best cultural organizations in the county and will portray the area’s heritage in a very positive light.
“We are extending the invitation to everyone to join in discovering and exploring Beaufort’s unique history and culture,” Keyserling said. “We have a great representation of the best cultural organizations in the county. The Festival will showcase Beaufort County and portray the area’s heritage in a very positive light
Participating organizations include Beaufort Arts Council, Beaufort County Historical Society, Beaufort County Library, Beaufort Film Society, Beaufort History Museum, Beaufort Mass Choir, Coastal Discovery Museum, Friends of Fort Fremont, Friends of Hunting Island State Park, Gullah Geechee Consortium, Heritage Library, Historic Beaufort Foundation, Historic Port Royal Foundation, Mitchelville Preservation Project, Parris Island Historical and Museum Society, Penn Center, Port Royal Sound Foundation, Maritime Center, Santa Elena History Center and the USCB Center for the Arts.
Beaufort, SC – March 15, 2016 –The weather was perfect and that was a good thing! It was an ideal setting for two dozen re-enactors portraying the Pennsylvania 50thInfantry regiment, Union Troops, that occupied the Beaufort Arsenal in 1862, who marched into town for an action-packed weekend encampment at the Arsenal, where they slept, ate and lived for three days.
Click here for a photo album of the event.
The event featured military drills, a parade down Bay Street, authentic meals cooked over open fires and served in the traditional manner, Sutlers plying their wares, classes taught to Freedmen, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Cemetery.
The living history encampment attracted 1,000 visitors who enjoyed interacting with the troops and learning about the time in the early 1860s, when Union troops had vanquished Confederate forces just after the Battle of Port Royal (November, 1861), the local population had left Beaufort and 10,000 slaves on the sea islands were freed and left to their own devices. Abolitionists came to the area and established the first schools for Freedmen. Hospitals were set up in the antebellum homes for injured Union forces. Commerce included traveling Sutlers who sold goods to the troops.
It was an unsettled moment but an era that set Reconstruction in motion, an important time that will be an ongoing story told at the Beaufort History Museum in coming months. The encampment provided an unique opportunity for people of all ages, but especially for the many children who attended; to learn first hand how life was lived in Beaufort during the Civil War.
“We were so encouraged, seeing hundreds of people enjoying the encampment, that we are hoping to make it an annual event,” said Carol Lauvray, Beaufort History Museum Board President. “The re-enactors, organized by Daniel Gidick of Charleston, came from as far away as Buffalo and Chicago. Their knowledge and dedication to authenticity was an inspiration. In a word, they were wonderful.”
Click here for the Island News story.
Click here for the Eat, Sleep, Play Beaufort story.
Click here for the Island Packet story with video.
Beaufort, SC - March 1, 2016 - The bark of officers mustering troops for review. The resounding clack of marching boots. Crackling fires. Bubbling cook pots. Mail call. These are just a sample of the sights and sounds that will accompany Union troops as they occupy Beaufort at a Living History Encampment presented by the Beaufort History Museum.
The 50th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, Union forces that occupied Beaufort in 1862 during the Civil War, will be brought to life by more than 30 re-enactors, who will stage the encampment in the Arsenal Courtyard, March 11-13. A complete schedule of the weekend’s many entertaining events and demonstrations is available on the Museum website at www.beauforthistorymuseum.com. Admission is free.
The encampment will provide a fascinating look at everyday life in Beaufort that followed in the wake of the Battle of Port Royal (November, 1861), when Confederate forces were rapidly defeated, local residents fled, and Union troops moved in. The re-enactors, who are coming from as far away as New England and Pennsylvania, will camp out in the Arsenal’s walled courtyard space, dividing into a “4 corners” focus. On display will be Brigade Headquarters, a commissary and Army Sutlers (traveling tradesmen who supplied the troops); infantry life and equipment; Northern Missionaries and Abolitionists; Freedmen; and the 1st South Carolina Regiment, which was comprised of soldiers of African American descent.
Activities will include cooking over open fires, an infantry drill, a class in session at a Freedmen school, a march through town to a bay-front park, and a visit to the National Cemetery for a wreath laying ceremony. Prominent historians Stephen R. Wise and Lawrence S. Rowland, authors of Rebellion, Reconstruction, and Redemption, 1861-1893, will be at a book signing at the Beaufort Public Library Saturday morning, March 12.
“This is truly an exciting time for the Museum because the Living History Encampment offers us an opportunity to experience much of life as it was in Beaufort during an important time in our history,” said BHM Board President, Carol Lauvray. “It helps us tell the story of the early days of the Reconstruction era here, which began during the Civil War. We are very grateful to encampment organizer Daniel Gidick of Charleston and to our partners, Penn Center and the Beaufort Pubic Library, for their efforts in creating this educational event.”
“The Living History Encampment also serves as a exciting way to preview our upcoming Special Exhibit on Reconstruction in Beaufort, opening in June when the Museum will participate in the South Carolina Humanities Festival with many other arts, cultural and historic organizations throughout Beaufort County. BHM’s Reconstruction Exhibit will be on display at the Museum for at least one year, so those who live in and visit Beaufort can experience it firsthand.”
For information on becoming a Docent, contact Lorrie Burleyknoles at lburleyknoles@beauforthistorymuseum.com or (559) 362-3237.
SIDEBAR: If you go:
Living History Encampment
Date: March 11-13, 2016
Site: Beaufort History Museum
The Arsenal
713 Craven Street
Beaufort, SC
Schedule of Events:
Friday:
· 2 – 5 PM Arrival of event re-enactors
· Setting up of camp with "4 corners" focus: 1) Brigade HQ, commissary & Army Sutlers; 2) infantry life & equipment, 3) Northern Missionaries & Abolitionists, 4) Freedmen & the 1st South Carolina Regiment of African descent
· Ongoing demonstrations at each of the stations
Saturday:
· 7:30 AM Breakfast Call - oatmeal & molasses
· 8:00 AM Camp opens to the public
· 9:00 – 11:00 AM – Book signing by Stephen Wise & Lawrence Rowland at the Beaufort Public Library
· 9:30 AM Infantry Drill - Facings and Manual of Arms
· 11:00 AM Freedmen School session
· Noon Dinner Call - Rice, peas, bacon & collards
· 12:30 PM Mail Call - letters and boxes from home
· 1:30 PM Inspection of Infantry Company followed by a brief march down Scott Street to the park on Bay St. in the Point
· 3:00 PM Freedmen School session
· 4:00 PM Infantry Drill
· 5:30 PM Visit to the Beaufort National Cemetery for a brief wreath laying ceremony; camp closes to the public.
Sunday
· 7:00 AM Breakfast Call
· 8:00 AM Camp opens to the public; Cleaning of barracks
· 9:00 AM Infantry Drill
· 9:30 AM Freedman school
· 10:00 AM Dismissal of formation
· 11:00 AM Arsenal closes to the public
Admission: Free (Donations accepted)
Presented by: Beaufort History Museum
Partners: Beaufort Public Library
Penn Center
The Beaufort History Museum held it’s annual meeting on Tuesday, January 26, at the museum’s main hall. Nearly fifty museum members and guests attended.
Board President Carol Lauvray presided over the meeting. She reported on the progress the Museum has made over the past year, citing the growth in membership, the dramatic increase in the number of visitors and many successful new exhibits and events presented during the fall of 2015, including the popular Hoodoo exhibit and Pat Conroy’s 70th Birthday celebration.
“We are extremely grateful to our Docents, volunteers and members, who have participated with great enthusiasm and energy. Our Docents are the lifeblood of the Museum and have volunteered more than 2,000 hours of their time to welcome and educate visitors over the past year. I’d also like to thank our Board of Directors, who are providing excellent leadership and contributing their diverse talents and many hours of time to help the Museum reach it’s goals.” Lauvray said.
She also provided a preview of events that will take place at the Museum in the coming months. Featured are:
· March 11 – 13, 2016: A weekend-long Living History Encampment in the Arsenal Courtyard, featuring re-enactors portraying a Union Army company from Pennsylvania stationed in Beaufort during the Civil War, as well as freed men and women, abolitionists, missionaries and tradesmen. “We are excited about presenting this interactive educational event and pleased that the Beaufort County Library, Penn Center and Historic Beaufort Foundation are partnering with us to make this period of history come to life over the weekend,” Lauvray said.
· May 3, 2016: The second annual Beaufort History Museum Tea: The Fundraiser will feature local historic re-enactor Kim Poovy and for the second year will be held at the Dataw Island Club.
· June 10 – 11, 2016: The South Carolina Humanities Festival, showcasing Beaufort County’s culture, arts, and history. The Museum plans to unveil an important new exhibit on the Reconstruction Period in Beaufort, which began early during the Civil War.
Among the other business conducted at the annual meeting, four members were elected to the Board of Directors: Andrea Allen, Steve Guida, Stuart Heath and Larry Koolkin. Guida, Heath and Koolkin were previously appointed to the BHM Board to fill vacant Board positions with unexpired terms. Andrea Allen, who is a Licensed Master Social Worker and recently retired from Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center, has served on the Boards for a variety of nonprofit and for profit organizations, and fills a newly open position on the Museum’s Board. In addition, Beaufort native Major General (retired) H. L. “Mitch” Mitchell and Ingrid Owens, Director of History, Arts and Culture at Penn Center, Inc., were recently appointed to fulfill unexpired Museum Board Member terms.
Following the Museum’s annual meeting many of the members and guests left the Arsenal and walked the short distance to the Beaufort Inn to extend the convivial spirit of the event and to enjoy a delicious prearranged dinner.
The Beaufort History Museum has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16thCentury until modern times. Docent classes are conducted on an ongoing basis.
Good evening, I’m Carol Lauvray, Board President of Beaufort History Museum, and it’s my pleasure to welcome all of you to this Annual Meeting and to share with you the Museum’s accomplishments over the past year and the exciting events and exhibits planned for 2016.
2015 was a pivotal year for Beaufort History Museum:
All of the Museum’s 2015 accomplishments, events, and exhibits were made possible only through the thousands of hours that our dedicated Docents and Board members volunteered to Beaufort History Museum last year.
Now I’d like to give you just a brief overview of some of the exciting things planned for 2016 at Beaufort History Museum:
As volunteers and members of Beaufort History Museum, everyone in this room shares a common bond—our passion for the deep, rich history of Beaufort, and for telling the story of how all American history began right here, to paraphrase USCB Professor Emeritus, Dr. Lawrence Rowland.
I’d like to thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate how far Beaufort History Museum has come and to look forward to all that’s in store for the Museum in the coming year. As I close, I’d like to ask all of our Docents and Board Members—both past and present—here this evening to stand to be recognized for your contributions to the Museum! Thank you!
Respectfully submitted by
Carol Lauvray,
Beaufort History Museum Board President
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
