Veterans from every conflict since the Civil War have been laid to rest in the cemetery’s more than 18,500 interments.

Beaufort National Cemetery is listed in the National Register, which describes it as follows:

The Beaufort National Cemetery is significant because of its association with the Civil War as well as beyond the Civil War era, as the remains of veterans associated with every war and branch of service are interred here. The national cemetery was established in 1863. The period of significance ends in 1942, the year that Machinist Mate Gerd Reussel, a German World War II prisoner of war, was buried in the cemetery. The site is laid out in the shape of a half wheel. The cemetery’s roads form the spokes, and the large iron gates are set at the hub. The main entrance is at the center of the south side and is protected by a double iron gate, which was constructed in 1940. The cemetery was originally enclosed by a wooden picket fence, which was replaced with a brick wall circa 1876. The original lodge was a wooden cottage with three rooms, which was constructed outside the walls of the cemetery and was moved to inside the cemetery in 1877. In 1881, a lodge of the standard design by Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs, was constructed near the former lodge. The Meigs lodge was used until 1934, when a new two-story brick and frame Dutch Colonial Revival style structure was constructed. The brick and stucco maintenance building, with a galvanized metal roof, was constructed in 1894. Three commemorative monuments or memorials are also located in the cemetery.

Special thanks to Lynne Dowling of Beaufort for sending us this dramatic photo of Beaufort National Cemetery. Lynne shares, “I took this photo of the Marine Corps Honor Guard during the very solemn and moving Memorial Day Service at the Beaufort National Cemetery. I was able to capture the Marine Corps bus in the foreground which added a unique perspective.”

Special thanks to Russ Greene of Bluffton for both this info and this beautiful shot!

Russ Greene, who contributed the stunning shot above, describes the scene: “The May River is a Bluffton tradition. This picture is taken overlooking the ‘bluff’ from which the town’s name originated. Whether buying fresh seafood from the Bluffton Oyster Company, spending lazy summer afternoons on the sandbar, or fishing off of one of the many docks on its shores, the May River is a local treasure.”

Kim Holstein, also of Bluffton, submitted this beautiful shot and says, “This photo was taken off the Calhoun Street dock facing west down the historic May River. The shrimp boats you see in the distance are docked at the Bluffton Oyster Company, a locally owned family company that still fishes the waters of the May River daily.”

A second view of the bridge, shown below, was taken from the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, a newly-renovated area along Beaufort’s riverfront. Draped with shady oaks, it provides a beautiful place for passersby to relax on riverside swings, play a game of Frisbee, listen to a concert, watch an outdoor movie, or enjoy a meal at one of the many nearby restaurants.

Cannon Park, pictured below, is near the north end of the Woods Memorial Bridge. This small park is adorned with flowers, and visitors enjoy relaxing on benches and watching boats pass beneath the bridge. Cannon Park is only a few steps from downtown shops, and it is treasured by many locals.

These are the only moveable bridges left in our state:

Do you have a picture of one of these bridges? Please send it to us. Also, if you have more information about the Woods Memorial Bridge, please let us know. We’d love to add it!

Barry Gooch, a Port Royal native who provided this beautiful shot, tells us about his childhood memories of Sands Beach.

“When I was a child,” Barry says, “the beach created a fantastic playground for exploration and provided me with an ample supply of sharks teeth and other fossils. The dredged sand created a perfect swimming area for the local kids and we spent many nights camping on our ‘private’ beach.

“Around 1960 the US Navy landed a large LST (ship) near the spoil area to offload supplies for Parris Island. Up to this time, the point was inaccessible to vehicles and access was limited primarily to us kids who didn’t mind wading through shallow water and a narrow area of pluff mud to reach our ‘private’ playground.

“But life changed and when the Navy finished their exercise left a road and narrow causeway over the low-lying area, which opened the beach up to automobiles.

“My dad and other fishermen were quick to take advantage of the road and ramp left behind, and in a short time it was transformed into a boat ramp. As its popularity increased, the ramp became a favorite with teenagers and young marines as the smooth waters of the adjacent Battery creek provided an ideal site for waterskiing. And what goes hand-in-hand with water skiing? Sunbathing of course, and the sands became a popular site (and an alternative to the twenty-mile drive to Hunting Island beach) for sun-worshipers.

“Despite the erosion and settling of the dredged sand, the beach remains popular with sunbathers to this day. Eventually the county paved the old sand and rock boat ramp, and today it is one of the premier boat ramps in Beaufort County.

“I’m unsure when the boardwalk was constructed, but it provides an excellent site for a leisurely scenic stroll to enjoy the water, and fishing and crabbing are popular activities.”

This is a photo of the famous TideRunner, a boat that once belonged to Paul Elliott who was a well known Beaufort shrimper in the 1990s. The Tiderunner has been stuck in the marsh for years, and was made famous when it was featured in the movie the Prince of Tides. You can see the boat from the highway going into Hunting Island State Park.

SCIWAY thanks Dr. Pat Paxton of Aiken for this gorgeous shot and information.

SCIWAY thanks Pat Paxton of Aiken for contributing this photo to the South Carolina Picture Project. If you have another shot of Fripp you would like to share, please submit it here.

You can also add information about Fripp. What are your favorite things to do here? Do you know what Fripp was like before it became a resort?

For more information, please visit the church’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Sandy Dimke of Beaufort for sharing this photo she took in 2011.

The church was built on the grounds of Mary Field Plantation, a former cotton plantation owned by John Stoddard. In the early 1880s, Stoddard divided the plantation into separate lots and sold 12 acres to freed slaves for the purpose of building a church and cemetery. The first church was constructed in 1881 and served the congregation until 1884, when it was destroyed by a fire. The current structure was completed in 1885 and continues to hold regular services.

The church is included in the Daufuskie Island Historic District. For more information, please visit the church’s website.

Special thanks to Steven Smith for sharing this picture he took in 2010.